The government are proposing that all newly rented private properties will be required to have a minimum EPC rating of C or above by 2025, with existing tenancies compliant by 2028.
It’s part of the drive towards net zero carbon emissions, as well as the general aim of improving the energy efficiency of properties in the rented sector, which has the biggest share of non-energy efficient homes in the country – 6.3% compared with 0.7% of social housing.
It poses real challenges for landlords, especially those with older properties in their portfolio, which may need significant investment to bring up to standard.
According to research carried out by Shawbrook Bank in 2021, a quarter of all landlords said they had little to no knowledge of the proposed changes.