United Kingdom’s (UK) Treasury Minister Tulip Siddiq could be facing a £10,000 fine after failing to secure an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) for her rental property, The Mail on Sunday has learned, reports Daily Mail.
This latest issue comes after Siddiq, niece of ousted prime minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina, was previously investigated for failing to register rental income on the same property earlier this year. She is now under scrutiny for possibly breaching her legal responsibilities as a landlord.
Under UK law, all rented properties must have a valid EPC. However, The Mail on Sunday found no evidence of a valid or expired EPC for the North London property, which Siddiq and her husband have been renting out since December 2022.
Landlords who fail to comply with EPC regulations are liable to fines starting at £10,000 for non-compliance lasting more than three months. Additional penalties can be up to 20% of the property’s rateable value, with fines reaching as much as £150,000.
The property, purchased for £865,000 in 2018, is managed by a letting agency that has yet to clarify why the EPC is missing.
Siddiq, who holds responsibility for financial services policy and regulation, was previously investigated by the parliamentary watchdog after The Mail on Sunday revealed that she had failed to declare over £10,000 in rental income for nearly 14 months. The Standards Commissioner accepted her explanation that it was an 'administrative error' but found that she had breached parliamentary rules.
Although Siddiq’s central London property has a valid EPC with a C rating, the missing certificate for her North London flat has raised additional concerns.
In a separate matter, Siddiq is currently under investigation in Bangladesh over allegations of embezzling £4 billion through a nuclear power plant deal. The country's Anti-Corruption Commission has launched a probe into her, her mother Sheikh Rehana Siddiq, and her aunt Sheikh Hasina Wazed, Bangladesh's former prime minister.
Siddiq, 42, has already been interviewed by the Cabinet Office's Propriety and Ethics team regarding the allegations. She denies any wrongdoing and maintains that no official authority has contacted her concerning the claims.
Bd-pratidin English/ Jisan
