A recent survey by the finance providers Paragon Mortgages has shown that 55% of landlords in the UK are unaware of impending changes in the law relating to energy efficiency requirements.

Under the new laws, which come into effect on the 1st October 2008, landlords letting a residential property will have to provide all prospective tenants with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). An EPC is a report on the energy efficiency of a property and can only be prepared by an accredited energy assessor.

An EPC is valid for 10 years and contains recommendations on how to make the property more energy-efficient, but there will be no obligation on the landlord to implement these recommendations.

The obligation to provide a written report arises when the landlord provides written information about the property to a person who has requested it, when a prospective tenant views the building, or when a contract is entered into for the letting of the property. Failure to obtain an EPC will mean that after the 1st October 2008 a landlord will be unable to market the property and will be liable to a fine of £200.00 per dwelling.