Private landlords can benefit from belonging to a local accreditation scheme.
Local authorities up and down the country are increasingly taking a strategic approach to the housing needs of everyone in their community. They recognise the important role of the private rented sector in providing accommodation for a diverse range of households.
As part of this new approach, Stafford Borough Council, like many local authorities are seeking to work with residential landlords and give them a stake in decisions that affect them. This is being done in a number of ways. For example, by offering landlords information that helps them to manage their properties better, by arranging meetings or forums where landlords can exchange views with local authority officers and, increasingly, by setting up voluntary accreditation schemes that recognise and reward landlords who manage their properties to a good standard.
The North and Central Staffordshire Landlord Accreditation scheme is a partnership between Stafford Borough Council, Newcastle Under Lyme Borough Council, Stoke on Trent City Council and the North Staffordshire Landlord Association.
An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) will be required for all homes whenever built, rented or sold.
If you are buying or selling a home it is now law to have a certificate. This will be extended to rented homes from October 2008. The certificate records how energy efficient a property is as a building and provides A-G ratings. These are similar to the labels now provided with domestic appliances such as refrigerators and washing machines.
They are produced using standard methods and assumptions about energy usage so that the energy efficiency of one building can easily be compared with another building of the same type. This allows prospective buyers, tenants, owners, occupiers and purchasers to see information on the energy efficiency and carbon emissions from their building so they can consider energy efficiency and fuel costs as part of their investment.
An EPC is always accompanied by a recommendation report that lists cost effective and other measures (such as low and zero carbon generating systems) to improve the energy rating. A rating is also given showing what could be achieved if all the recommendations were implemented.
The certificate is important because nearly 50 per cent of the UK's energy consumption and carbon emissions arise from the way our buildings are lit, heated and used. Even comparatively minor changes in energy performance and the way we use each building will have a significant effect in reducing energy consumption.
EPCS are produced by accredited energy assessors.
For more information regarding energy performance certificates landlords and tenants please use the following links:-
Keep your home free from damp, condensation and mould!
A booklet has been produced which provides some basic information about the different types of dampness that may affect your home. Condensation is probably the biggest cause of damp in homes. The booklet contains a lot of information and advice to help occupiers identify and reduce condensation in their homes. There are a number of paper copies available or alternatively download or view a copy by clicking here.
