The implementation of a piece of legislation affecting the private rented sector in England and Wales is due to be delayed by a year.

The postponement is of the Private Rented Sector Register Exemptions. The registers were due to open on October 1 this year, but will now open on October 1 next year.

The delay means that landlords will have an extra year before they can register exemptions from a requirement coming into force on April 1, 2018.

From that date, a landlord of a property below an E energy rating will be banned from granting a new tenancy, and from April 1, 2020, will be prohibited from continuing to let the property.

Some properties will be, or likely to be exempt even if they have low EPC ratings. However, the delay in opening the register for exemptions follows the scrapping of the Green Deal, and previous exemptions specifically referred to it.

The Department of Energy and Climate Change is to launch a consultation.