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Future-Proofing Your Property: What Landlords Need to Know About Boiler Upgrades and PAT Testing
At The Letting Game, we believe in doing lettings the right way, staying one step ahead, keeping things transparent, and helping landlords make smart, sustainable decisions. With important regulatory updates on the horizon and current licensing obligations in place, here’s what you need to know to stay compliant and could help your property run more efficiently.
PAT Testing: A Legal Must for Licensed Properties
If your property is licensed – whether it’s an HMO, Additional, or Selective licence then Portable Appliance Testing (PAT) is a mandatory requirement.
What does that mean in practice? If you’re providing any electrical appliances like a fridge, oven, microwave, lamps or similar – a PAT test must be completed every 12 months to ensure tenant safety and to remain compliant with your licensing conditions.
If you’re wondering why it’s necessary, here’s the key clause from Bristol City Council’s licensing conditions:
“Keep electrical appliances and furniture made available in the house in a safe condition and supply to the Council, on demand, a written declaration verifying the safety of the appliances and furniture.” You can read more here.
Without a current PAT certificate, you can’t verify this safety, which means a PAT is not just best practice, but a mandatory requirement.
Upgrading Your Boiler? Consider a Heat Pump
With the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) now expected to come into force between 2028 and 2030, there’s growing pressure for landlords to improve their properties’ EPC ratings. If you’re planning a boiler replacement, now is the time to think green.
Heat pumps are a future-friendly alternative to traditional gas boilers. Not only are they more energy-efficient and better for the environment, but they could also help your property meet incoming EPC requirements.
Even better, recent updates to the Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) mean that EPC assessors can now take a more accurate view of a property’s energy efficiency. Modern insulation and heating methods are better recognised, and assessors can now use supporting documents – such as invoices or contractor statements – as evidence of works completed. This is a real step forward from the old approach, where lack of access (e.g. to a loft) meant assessors had to assume no insulation was present.
Good news: The government’s Boiler Upgrade Scheme is still available, offering up to £7,500 in grant funding to help landlords make the switch to a low-carbon heating system.
Apply for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme
And finally, the previous rule that restricted heat pump installations within 1 metre of a property boundary has been removed, making it easier than ever to go green without planning headaches.
