EPC C targets should not require landlords to raise rents claims government
3 months ago | 39 comments
Government defends EPC standards claiming they help landlords and tenants
8:31 AM, 5th March 2026, 1 month ago
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The government claims energy performance certificate (EPC) standards are “proportional” to landlords and tenants.
In a written question, Plaid Cymru MP Llinos Medi, asked whether the government would consider the impact of proposed changes to the landlord cost cap and exemptions for Welsh private renters
The news comes as the government announced all private landlords in England and Wales will need to meet EPC C targets by 2030.
Manage the burden placed on landlords
Plaid Cymru MP Llinos Medi asked: “To ask the Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment his Department has made of the potential impact of lowering the landlord cost cap and introducing low property value exemptions for minimum energy efficiency standards on private renters in Wales.”
In response, Martin McCluskey, minister for energy consumers, claimed the government’s energy-efficiency standards were fair to landlords and tenants.
He said: “The government’s response to the consultation on increasing the minimum energy efficiency standard for private rented homes was accompanied by the Department’s Impact Assessment. The assessment provides an estimated impact of the final policy based on a range of data available, including HM Land Registry and property price data available for Wales.
“The measures included in the final policy are intended to be proportional to help manage the burden placed on landlords and the impact on the rental market, whilst still delivering improved, warmer, cheaper to heat homes for private rented sector tenants.”
Under government plans, landlords will be able to choose between the smart or heat metrics, and the cap on the amount they are expected to invest to meet the new standards will be reduced from £15,000 to £10,000.
The cost cap will be lower where £10,000 would represent 10% or more of a property’s value.
Any spending on energy-efficiency works carried out since October last year will also count towards the planned cap, and the government will deliver a range of finance options, including Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) grants.
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Member Since June 2019 - Comments: 775
10:18 AM, 5th March 2026, About 1 month ago
They still don’t get the fact that the landlord receives no ‘pay back’ period and has to raise the rent well beyond the tiny savings these measures create to recover a five five expenditure.
Member Since May 2014 - Comments: 147
10:55 AM, 5th March 2026, About 1 month ago
He is a member of the Fabian Society’s executive committee.
Member Since June 2013 - Comments: 3242 - Articles: 81
1:22 PM, 5th March 2026, About 1 month ago
This video I did for Ed Miliband explains why EPC to C will make most tenants worse off.
https://youtu.be/ijMxRyuCGKI?si=aZsQr2GMDfbYbiG4
Member Since December 2021 - Comments: 11
2:39 PM, 5th March 2026, About 1 month ago
There is a worrying point to the changes to EPCs for landlords but also a small silver lining.
Firstly the bad news is this statement from the HEM consultation.
*** “The band boundary for a C rating should be set such that it does not incentivise fossil fuel heating systems. We are therefore proposing that no home that relies on a primary fossil-fuel space or water heating system (such as a gas boiler) should be able to achieve a C on the new Heating System Metric.” **
To reach band C you will need 2 C metrics, one needs to be fabric & the other from smart or heating. Given the above sentence rules out gas boilers that leaves LLs with a choice of either replacing the boiler with a HP or sticking solar PV on the roof (not just a couple of panels, a decent array).
Both scenarios are costly +£3.5 & upwards.
The silver lining is unlike Scotland the old EPCs (the ones we use now), will still be valid.
How does this help? Well if you are savvy enough to know when this change will come (I am sure this site will keep an eye out). & have the EPC done PRE change you will have 10yrs of not having to worry over the change & its implications.
This change will IMO lead to the largest record breaking amount of EPCs done within a short space of time, there will be chaos in the run up to the change, but for any landlord its an absolute no brainer.
GL
Member Since May 2025 - Comments: 74
5:30 PM, 7th March 2026, About 1 month ago
If it’s not a “burden” on landlords then why don’t council and social housing providers commit to achieve C by 2030?
Complete rubbish coming from the lips of government. Just like Rachel’s comment in the spring statement that the economy is doing well! Has she looked at the growth numbers for the last 2 quarters. Give me the growth that Liz Trusses budget generated – it was far higher than the growth these clowns have generated.