A council led by the Liberal Democrats has issued a statement boasting of a fine it has levied on a landlord for apparently having a low-rated Energy Performance Certificate (EPC).

Few councils appear to have taken action against landlords who, since 2020, have been unable to legally let a home if it has an EPC rating below E. Exemptions can include if the cost of making the cheapest recommended improvement required to improve the property’s rating to E or above would exceed £3,500.

But Tewkesbury Council said in a statement last week: “Low energy efficiency properties — rated F or G — make it harder for tenants to afford heating and can be linked to health issues. This is why it’s so important to ensure that landlords in the private rented sector are taking appropriate steps to meet the government regulations.”

And councillor Alex Hegenbarth, who runs the council’s housing activities, added: “We’re working with landlords within this sector to make sure that properties with a current energy rating of F or G are not rented out unless they are exempt or brought up to standard. Our Environmental Health Team regularly check that this requirement is being met and have recently issued several fines against one landlord totalling £4,500.

“Information and guidance for landlords is available on Gov.uk and we’d like to encourage any tenants with concerns about the energy performance or conditions at their property, to contact our Environmental Health Team.”