EPC reforms risk retrofit bottleneck – NRLA

The government has been warned that a shortage of retrofit professionals could slow planned changes to how energy performance certificates (EPC) are assessed in rented homes.

The call is being made by the National Residential Landlords Association which said proposals to overhaul EPC methodology would require significant additional training for assessors.

However, that would add to the pressure already facing a limited workforce.

Responding to a consultation by the Department for Energy Security & Net Zero, the body pointed to the scale of retraining needed to support a new Energy Performance of Buildings regime.

The shift would introduce updated metrics covering fabric efficiency and heating systems.

EPCs won’t succeed

The NRLA’s chief executive, Ben Beadle, said: “We recognise how crucial it is for the private rented sector to boost its energy efficiency.

“But the government needs to be pragmatic when choosing the steps it wants to take to make this happen.”

He added: “If it doesn’t address the ‘retrofitting skills gap’ – the shortfall in those retrofitting professionals qualified to uphold EPC benchmarks – its changes to energy efficiency benchmarks are unlikely to succeed.”

EPC retrofit skills gap

The NRLA warns that the skills gap will create a bottleneck as demand for qualified assessors increases, with existing capacity stretched further.

The consultation asks stakeholders to comment on how EPC ratings should be calculated in future, with a focus on giving owner occupiers, landlords and tenants clearer insight into property performance and potential improvements.

It follows a decision by the department to delay the rollout of the revised EPC framework until the second half of 2027 after discussions with industry over delivery timelines.