It's been another rollercoaster of a year for the lettings industry: we started off 2021 in lockdown but emerged to a record-breaking summer, with high rents and low void periods across the country. Though legislation updates continued to come thick and fast, fewer were focused on Covid-19 as the government returned to its pre-pandemic agenda. The past month has been no exception, with the government making announcements on improving minimum energy efficiency standards and extending the regulations for smoke and carbon monoxide alarms before they break for Christmas. Never a dull moment!

Our rental market performance over the past month

Here’s a snapshot of how our agency performed in November:

• We achieved an average rent of £766
• Our deal turnaround times were 16 days on average
• On average the tenants we rent to have an income of £21000
• The average age of our tenants is 44

Increasing minimum energy efficiency standards

The government wants to raise the minimum energy efficiency standards to EPC Band C by 2025 for new tenancies in private rented homes and by 2028 for all tenancies to improve the overall energy performance of the private rented sector in England and Wales. The consultation on the proposals ran until 8 January 2021 and they feature in the Minimum Energy Performance of Buildings bill, which is now awaiting its second reading in the House of Lords. The government has announced a plan of action for how to improve the use and performance of Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs), which includes updating the Energy Performance of Buildings (England and Wales) Regulations 2012 (EPB Regulations) in 2022.

Extension to the regulations for smoke and carbon monoxide alarms

Following a consultation on the government’s proposals to extend regulations on domestic smoke and carbon monoxide alarms in both social and private rented accommodation, the government has now confirmed its plans amend the Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Alarm (England) Regulations 2015. The new regulations will make smoke alarms mandatory in all social rented homes, carbon monoxide alarms will need to be fitted in all rented properties with gas boilers or fires and in all rooms with a fixed combustion device - plus all landlords or their property managers will be required to fix faulty alarms once informed of any issue.