Dr Neil Cobbold (pictured), commercial director at Reapit, says Ed Miliband's net zero drive is being undermined by a lack of EPC compliance enforcement action from Parliament.
Mr Leapitt has sent freedom of information requests to some of the country's biggest councils, including Liverpool, Manchester, Brighton, Birmingham, Leeds and Bristol, asking how many unscrupulous landlords have been fined for failing to comply with current EPC rules. I asked. 
It was revealed that just 147 fines were handed out in Liverpool, Bristol and Newham.
not proactive
When councils were asked how many PRS properties are currently exempt from minimum energy efficiency regulations, only 325 were known, with most councils unable to reveal how many in their area. I didn't.
Funding for enforcement also appears to be lacking, with one council admitting to using an “intelligence-led approach,” relying on complaints rather than active investigations.
As a result, the local Trading Standards Authority is “not actively conducting exercises on this issue”.
Kobold commented: “Millions of landlords across the UK deliver high-quality properties, but we all know there are a small number of unscrupulous landlords who undermine the sector.
The council is sending the wrong message to law-abiding landlords. ”
“By not investigating unscrupulous landlords who fail to provide a simple and valid EPC certificate when renting a property, the council is sending the wrong message to law-abiding landlords.
“Failure to provide basic documents can be indicative of broader problems with real estate. A lack of enforcement means unscrupulous landlords are unable to provide substandard property without fear of being caught. This means that we can continue to offer properties.”
“The lack of widespread enforcement of the current EPC regulations also calls into question the government's EPC C deadline, announced by Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change Ed Miliband earlier this year.”
“Over the next five years, it is estimated that landlords will be asked to pay a total of £24 billion to upgrade their properties to EPC C by 2030. “If the costs are so high, what's the incentive for the landlord?'' So high? ”
