Landlord Newsletter - Summer 2022

Landlord Newsletter from Mid and East Antrim Borough Council Summer 2022

MEA.envhealth@midandeastantrim.gov.uk 0300 124 5000

A Landlord’s Guide to Saving Energy in Private Rental Properties There are always things you can do as a landlord to make your property greener. Not only could you save a few pounds, but it could be the difference between securing a long term tenancy or not.

Welcome back to Mid and East Antrim’s Landlord Newsletter, for private landlords within the borough. This edition aims to bring you useful information on changes in the law, tenancy agreements and energy saving advice at a time when energy prices are rising.

Get your property assessed for energy performance The Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) offers general information on the energy used by a property and how much that energy typically costs. Renters can then utilise this information to calculate how much their energy bills will cost in their new property.

Further information and advice is always available by contacting the Public Health and Housing team within Council, we’d be happy to hear from you!

Telephone: 0300 124 5000 Email: MEA.envhealth@midandeastantrim.gov.uk

New law allows for changes to private tenancies in Northern Ireland The Private Tenancies Act (NI) 2022 received royal assent on 27 April 2022. Some elements of the Act will require Regulations to be made to come into effect.

Free Landlord Advice The Landlord Advice line is a free service for landlords who have registered with the Landlord Registration Scheme and callers must have their Landlord registration number to hand when making a call.

This piece of legislation increases protections for tenants living in the private rented sector.

Changes to be aware of include:

Landlord advice is available between 9.30am and 2.30pm Monday – Friday

• Statement of tenancy terms must be provided • Deposit, if charged, can now only be a maximum of one month’s rent • Rent cannot be increased within the first 12 months of the letting • Rent receipt must be given for payment in cash • Smoke, fire and carbon monoxide alarms must be provided by the landlord • Electrical safety standards • Energy Efficiency through EPC rating • Notice to Quit periods increased • 8 weeks if less 1 year • 4 months if more than 1 year and less than 3 years • 6 months if more than 3 years and less than 8 years • 7 months if more than 8 years Offences can result in the service of fixed penalties.

MEA.envhealth@midandeastantrim.gov.uk 0300 124 5000

Call 028 9024 5640 and pick option 5 Please click on link below for case studies www.landlordadviceni.org/landlord-stories

Bi-Lingual Tenancy Agreements We are currently working on a model tenancy agreement and statement of tenancy terms that will be translated into multiple languages and made available on Council’s website very soon!

Make the change to LED bulbs and other efficient lighting tech.

On average, LED light bulbs will not have to be changed for at least 20 years. You can also consider using dimmer switches and timers to dim the lights or turn them completely off to save energy.

Install energy-efficient appliances Energy-efficient white goods such as cookers, dishwashers, boilers, washing machines and dryers will definitely reduce your rental property’s power consumption.

Keep an eye on your boiler Over time, central heating systems can become less efficient and cost you more money. A new condensing boiler has an efficiency of around 90%, however, a non-condensing boiler will only offer about 75%.On average, boilers need replacing every 10-15 years depending on the make of the boiler and how well it has been maintained and serviced.

Improve your draught-proofing Draught-proofing is one of the cheapest and most effective ways to save energy and money.

The most common areas are windows, doors, chimneys, floorboards and skirting boards, loft hatches, pipeworks, old extractor fans and cracks in the walls. Consider draught excluders, sealing around the edge of windows, or even a new front door to keep the wind out.

Invest in energy-efficient windows Replacing your windows with energy-efficient, double-glazed windows will reduce energy bills.

Modern UPVC windows allow heat to be retained inside the property, while also allowing for proper ventilation.

Upgrade your loft insulation Better loft installation certainly reduces heat loss through the roof, so needless to say, you will see significant savings on energy bills.

Install programmable thermostats and heating controls By installing a programmer, room thermostat and thermostatic radiator valves tenants just use the heat they need in the rooms they want.

Are you interested in joining a Landlord’s Forum?

Having already heard from a number of interested landlords, Mid and East Antrim Borough Council are helping to establish a Landlords Forum for landlords and agents across the Borough. This aims to provide a supportive network of peers and advice at a local level.

The first meeting is taking place at 10.30am on 24 June 2022 at The Braid Arts Centre in Ballymena.

If you’d like to register your interest please contact this department on T: 0300 124 5000 E: MEA.envhealth@midandeastantrim.gov.uk

Useful Contact Information Mid and East Antrim Waste Operations T: 0300 124 5000 Option 0 E: enquiries@midandeastantrim.gov.uk Mid and East Antrim Energy Efficiency Officer T: 0300 124 5000 Option 4 E: homesafety-energyadvice@midandeastantrim.gov.uk Housing Rights T: 028 9024 5640 E: info@housingrights.org.uk Landlord Registration T: 0300 200 7821 E: landlordregistration@nidirect.gov.uk Landlord Advice T: 028 9024 5640 Option 5 E: advice@landlordadviceNI.org Landlord Mediation Service T: 028 9024 5640 Option 6 E: mediation@housingrights.org.uk

MEA.envhealth@midandeastantrim.gov.uk 0300 124 5000