Wandsworth Council has initiated enforcement action against landlords letting properties that fail to meet minimum energy efficiency standards, with approximately 550 properties in the borough estimated to be non-compliant.
The council is targeting properties with Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) ratings of F or G, which are prohibited from being let under the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) Regulations. Landlords found in breach face financial penalties reaching £5,000, with the possibility of being publicly named in serious cases.
Enforcement activity
Officers have contacted over 150 landlords since the enforcement programme commenced, initiating compliance checks. The council has issued five financial penalties to date and reports an increase in property owners undertaking improvement works.
In one case, a Battersea property let with a G rating resulted in a £4,000 penalty after managing agents claimed upgrade responsibility lay with the tenant. A Balham landlord received the maximum £5,000 fine following failure to respond to a compliance notice or complete required works.
Aydin Dikerdem, Wandsworth Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing, stated: “Our enforcement work is already making a real difference for residents who have been living in cold, inefficient homes for far too long. No one should be renting a property that fails to meet even the basic legal standards for energy efficiency.”
He added that the action aims to improve tenant living conditions whilst reducing carbon emissions across the borough.
Market implications
The enforcement programme signals increased regulatory scrutiny for landlords in the London borough, with potential financial and reputational consequences for non-compliance. The identification of 550 non-compliant properties suggests a significant proportion of the rental stock may require energy efficiency upgrades to meet legal standards.
