9:49 AM, 14th April 2025, About a month ago 15
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A charity claims energy efficiency standards should be raised to EPC C as soon as possible in the private rented sector, but landlords who try to access grants for improvements often face challenges.
Independent Age says older renters over 65 are more likely to live in older, colder homes that are hard to heat and pose greater health risks, and is calling for targeted support for older renters before, during, and after energy efficiency improvements are made to their homes.
The charity is also urging the government to support landlords in making their properties more energy efficient through better access to grants.
According to a report by Independent Age, despite a large number of older renters (66%) supporting raising minimum energy efficiency standards (MEES) in the private rented sector from E to C, there was a lack of trust in EPC ratings.
One renter told the report that the methods used to calculate EPCs were unreliable.
The renter said: “I’ve been present when EPCs are done and it’s very formulaic – they don’t do any measurements.
If I stand in my bay window, I can feel a draught even though it has double glazing. The numbers are nonsense.”
The research shows that both older tenants and landlords support reducing the length of time that EPCs are valid.
Independent Age is urging the government to shorten the validity period of EPCs from 10 years to five, or to require renewal at key points, such as after upgrade work, to ensure they remain up to date.
Morgan Vine, director of policy and influencing at Independent Age said: “Living in a cold home is awful at any age, and for older people it is especially dangerous. Not only do low temperatures put your mental and physical health at risk, but we speak to older private renters who have been forced to skip meals or wash in cold water so they can afford to heat their energy inefficient home.
“It’s vital that the UK government acts to ensure homes in the private rented sector are brought up to higher standards of energy efficiency. Not only will this help reach the UK’s net-zero targets, importantly, it will mean older private renters on a low income do not have to live in a home that is dangerous for their health.”
The research also reveals only 38% of landlords in England were aware of existing grants and programmes to improve their properties’ EPC rating.
However, for those who were aware of the grants, many faced challenges in accessing them.
One landlord explains how they had no communication at all, even after complying with all the guidelines.
The landlord told the report: “I never heard a thing and I complied with all the guidelines. Getting local workman companies to do the work for us and providing the names of the companies.
“We did everything that we had to do but, as I say, not even an acknowledgement – ‘Your application has been received and will be looked at.’ Nothing.”
More than half of landlords (58%) say cost is a barrier to retrofitting their homes, with landlords who own only one or two properties facing a lack of capital to invest in improvements.
The government claims tenants will save £240 a year on their energy bills under the new EPC C requirements. However, the government fails to mention the cost to landlords and tenants.
According to the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA), landlords would need to spend an average of £6,100 to £6,800 per property to meet these energy targets.
However, landlords say they would be willing to carry out energy-efficiency improvements if provided with tax incentives.
Research from Citizens Advice found that among landlords who said they would sell their properties if MEES were tightened, 38% would reassess if spending on energy efficiency improvements were deductible against Income Tax rather than Capital Gains Tax.
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Dizzy
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Sign Up7:44 AM, 14th April 2025, About a month ago
Really Smart these Charities or what?
I am just reletting a 1 bed. So far ALL the applicants have or are being evicted due to their current landlords not having the time, money or inclination to jump through the necessary hoops.
Tenants being evicted for Sale was extremely rare even a couple of years back. It is only now the EPC of what they are about to rent is a concern because they don't want to be evicted again.... Especially older people.
Surely a roof is better than no roof
northern landlord
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Sign Up11:26 AM, 14th April 2025, About a month ago
Thanks to Charities like these and politicians seeking scapegoats for their own failures with providing housing the popular view of landlords is they are all so rich they could afford to provide first class properties at very low rents but deliberately choose not to. This being the case they could all easily afford the £8,000 (estimates vary) that an EPC upgrade on an older property could cost.
What world do these people live in? While some landlords are actively evicting to sell many more are in passive mode waiting and selling when tenants move on because contrary to the popular image they do (foolishly?) care about their tenants. While the Government deny the exodus it is happening. As it bites I wonder what draconian measures will be brought in to deter landlords selling? Better ask the Charities as they have the ear of the Government.
Jo Westlake
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Sign Up11:50 AM, 14th April 2025, About a month ago
Could it be that older people live in colder houses because they are more likely to put an extra jumper on than put the heating on?
EPC C doesn't necessarily mean lower heating bills.
My cheapest to heat house is EPC C. My most expensive to heat house is also EPC C. My EPC A house is third cheapest while my EPC E house is third most expensive.
Orientation of the house makes a huge difference to heating requirements but isn't taken into account in the EPC score.
GlanACC
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Sign Up12:28 PM, 14th April 2025, About a month ago
presumably EPC also applies to social housing (I thought not) as they won't get fined but private landlords will
TheMaluka
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Sign Up12:46 PM, 14th April 2025, About a month ago
Reply to the comment left by Jo Westlake at 14/04/2025 - 11:50
Suggested improvement, alter the orientation of the house to face South. Estimated cost £500,000 saving £73 per year.
Cider Drinker
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Sign Up13:11 PM, 14th April 2025, About a month ago
I will not spend many thousands of pounds to maybe save an already perfectly happy tenant a couple of hundred pounds per year.
If I’d did, the rent would rise by much more than the tenants’ annual saving on energy bills.
Stop the price fixing, especially of electricity, talk sone sense and I will listen.
“Hi tenant. I will write soon proposing highly disruptive works to achieve EPC Rating C. If you write back to me to say you refuse access, the rent will remain affordable. If you would prefer to have the work done, the new rent will be £150 per month higher and a Section 8 ‘no fault’ eviction will follow.”
Contango
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Sign Up17:23 PM, 14th April 2025, About a month ago
I dont believe for one second that most landlords would favour epcs being valid for five years only.
We have done all of the fairly easy fixes but to get the rest up to grade C (or better) we would need possession. We do not believe in seeking possession where the tenant is paying the rent so we are stumped. There ought to be an exemption on existing lettings becoming compliant for EPC if possession would be required for works.
Imout Ofhere
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Sign Up17:54 PM, 14th April 2025, About a month ago
Once again these so called "surveys" mean nothing.
A quango "charity" that provides , help lines, campaigning and advice on how to shaft a landlord.
Just how many people were in the survey?
Giving percentages for and against means nothing, 30 people, 300, 3000, more ???
Why don't they tell you, well, it's because it was so few that percentages looked better..
On another note, a tenant should have left on Friday, section 21,..... still there today, house is , well, .... broken....even when I get them out it's going to be expensive to fix in order to sell but it will be another rental gone because of potential Epc problem.
Ryan Stevens
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Sign Up18:06 PM, 14th April 2025, About a month ago
Reply to the comment left by Cider Drinker at 14/04/2025 - 13:11
Only £150 a month? It is probably going to cost me £15k+, and the tenant will need to move out while the work is carried out , so lost rent too. If I cannot get £1000+ more per month then I might as well sell.
And let's not forget that property improvements are generally not income tax deductible, so they need to be paid out of after tax profits!!
islay pitt
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Sign Up18:37 PM, 14th April 2025, About a month ago
Are the charities chasing social housing and the councils over these epc rating?