When it applies
- You bought an interest in a property subject to an existing tenancy
- A lease was granted under a court order or by operation of law
- You inherited the interest
- A guarantor took over under a guarantee
- A lease was renewed under Part II of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954
It runs from the date you became the landlord, not the date you noticed
Six months is enough time to commission an assessment, obtain three quotes and register a substantive exemption.
It is not enough time to do that and discover the problem late.
Use it properly
Treat the six months as a project, not a pause. In order: confirm the certificate and its recorded floor area; establish whether the rating is evidenced or assumed; obtain three quotes for every measure on the recommendation report; run the payback test; then either install, or register the substantive exemption before the six months lapses.
Due diligence point
The rating and the exemption position belong in pre-acquisition enquiries. A building bought unaware of an F
rating arrives with a live breach and a clock already running.
Find the certificate you already have
Search the Energy Performance of Buildings Register for your building. It is free, there is no sign-up, and it takes about ten seconds.
Common questions
How long is the new landlord exemption?
Six months from the date you became the landlord. It cannot be extended and it is not renewable.
Does it apply if I bought the building with a sitting tenant?
Yes – purchase of an interest subject to an existing tenancy is one of the qualifying routes.