Why Ed Miliband’s Warm Homes Plan is hot air for landlords
3 months ago | 8 comments
EPC C targets should not require landlords to raise rents claims government
9:20 AM, 26th January 2026, 3 months ago
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The government claim landlords will not have to raise rents to meet EPC C targets by 2030, despite a government consultation claiming the opposite.
Under the Warm Homes Plan, the government announced all private rented properties will need to meet EPC C targets by 2030.
However, a government consultation on meeting EPC C targets admits landlords may sell up or increase rents due to EPC rules.
Our proposed changes should not require landlords to increase rents
In response to a written question from Conservative MP Paul Holmes on “whether the government has made an assessment of the potential impact of the costs of new energy efficiency measures on the level of open market rents.”
Martin McCluskey, Minister for Energy Consumers, said landlords would not need to raise rents.
He said: “The government recently consulted on increasing minimum energy efficiency standards in the domestic private rented sector, including proposals for rented homes to achieve Energy Performance Certificate C or equivalent by 2030.
“We have engaged with landlord and tenant groups in developing this policy and set out several proposals to help landlords reach the new standard.
“Our proposed changes should not require landlords to increase rents. Instead, they will help tenants cut their energy bills by delivering more energy-efficient homes.”
Landlords may decide to leave the market
However, as previously reported on Property118, a government consultation documents admits some landlords could choose to sell rather than comply with EPC rules.
The document says: “Landlords may decide to exit the market. The likelihood of this is dependent on the current profitability of their rental property, the level of costs they face, the price landlords would receive from the sale of their property and their wider financial circumstances.
“The prices of EPC F/G PRS properties affected by the current regulations (requiring PRS properties to be EPC E) decreased by about £5,000 to £9,000, relative to unaffected properties.
“If a similar situation were to arise in the context of higher Minimum Energy-Efficiency Standards (MEES), landlords may decide it is more profitable to improve properties and remain as landlords. However, landlords who face the highest costs may decide, on balance, it is still less costly to sell their property than comply with the higher energy performance standard.”
The document also says some landlords may also decide instead to pass costs onto tenants through higher rents, but some tenants may decide to stay if higher rents are offset by lower energy bills.
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Member Since May 2025 - Comments: 75
11:25 AM, 26th January 2026, About 3 months ago
Reply to the comment left by Reluctant Landlord at 26/01/2026 – 10:09
Well said.
Assuming I need to spend £10k per property. One property is £550/month so £6,600/year.
So this Labour Muppet thinks I am going to let them live rent free for a year and a half and still pay tax on the loss…..
Labour must mistake me for a charity except I am not eligible for charity relief….
Disaster.
My calculations suggest I would need to increase their rent by about £2400 year to be cash neutral after tax in order to save them maybe £150/year on their energy….
It’s clear Labour can’t do basic maths on anything they touch.
Best thing for my tenants would be to deny me entry and refuse the “improvements”.
Member Since September 2018 - Comments: 3538 - Articles: 5
12:25 PM, 26th January 2026, About 3 months ago
Reply to the comment left by Suspicious Steve at 26/01/2026 – 11:25
my thoughts exactly. Being a decent (non ‘rogue’) LL I will of course explain all this to the T (who will look at me like I’m raving mad).
As I now take elec and gas meter reads ever LL check, I will be able to explain to them in 2029 just what their current use is. I will ask what tariff they are on and can then work out a rough calculation over a year.
I will then explain what the gov is making me do, and if carried out what this will mean in terms of disturbance and time along with predicted cost (of the work to be done, including the 2 EPC assessments themselves) and predicted costs (their bill after work done).
The predicted cost of the rent increase can then be assessed and a number given to them……
Like you say, this is a cost for the T benefit only (if the house was home owner occupied, empty or let by other means outside of a normal TA) then NONE of this work could be needed. It is only because there is a tenant in that it is required.
How does this stack up, when isn’t the whole idea to reduce emissions/NZ of the country as a whole?
Is only tenant occupied properties contributing to this ‘crisis’ then???
Member Since May 2024 - Comments: 204
12:49 PM, 26th January 2026, About 3 months ago
So, they think I’m going to pay out 2 years income to save a tenant a few pounds per year? The NetZero is their idea, let them pay for it. The most I’m doing is selling 1 house that is a D and will not economically make it to a C and possibly having 2 C’s re evaluated to get a new EPC C for 10 years, After this I will sell all houses unless we have a competent government in charge and I really do not see anyone competent.
Member Since April 2018 - Comments: 374
7:59 PM, 26th January 2026, About 3 months ago
Reply to the comment left by The_Maluka at 26/01/2026 – 10:45
Exactly and how much is he being paid, who is paying him.
Member Since January 2026 - Comments: 1
8:26 PM, 26th January 2026, About 3 months ago
So a rented property is classed as the tenants home ( albeit without the financial burden of actually owning it) if it was their home the have two choices. One they don’t need to upgrade it to meet the EPC C requirements or two if they did choose to they could apply for grants etc. Now a landlord can’t avoid the new regulations. Which in itself isn’t a bad thing. However even with it being forced on us we cannot apply for any grants. All we have is the option of a landlord green loan which still means we pay the full amount for any upgrades. I would be happy to upgrade if we were given the same options/grants as a normal home owner who isn’t being forced to upgrade their home.
Member Since May 2015 - Comments: 2203 - Articles: 2
9:40 PM, 26th January 2026, About 3 months ago
Reply to the comment left by David at 26/01/2026 – 19:59
Did you not see the irony in my comment?
Member Since May 2024 - Comments: 115
12:00 AM, 27th January 2026, About 3 months ago
In other news, the increase in cost of chocolate ingredients has not caused chocolate to increase in cost at all….
Member Since November 2020 - Comments: 136
12:21 AM, 27th January 2026, About 3 months ago
The goalposts keep shifting like desert sands, so, in all likelihood, a current EPC of C will not be satisfactory come 2030, the bar having been raised even higher and at what cost.
No, it’s time to fold my cards and leave the table.
Member Since May 2021 - Comments: 5
5:17 AM, 27th January 2026, About 3 months ago
Reply to the comment left by Suicide Jockey at 26/01/2026 – 09:32
What is ‘Liebour’?
Member Since February 2025 - Comments: 10
6:26 AM, 27th January 2026, About 3 months ago
Two of our flats are Grade 2 listed building. Milliband will not answer our question to him letting us as LL fit uPVC correct copy of existing wood sash windows to improve EPC. If only LL have to achieve C let LLs by pass Grade 2 listing restrictions . Both with gas boilers so we are sunk. So we are selling , agent been in last week. 2 less rentals. We are selling a third too leaving just one other which is currently a C. Stupid recent EPC inspection down graded out D flat to a E because it does not have storage heaters! We removed them as costly for tenants and installed low cost timed and thermostated wall mounted convector heaters…idiots. Tenant happy.