Government promises to help landlords with EPC costs
4 months ago | 21 comments
EPC reforms will be sensitive to individual properties claims government
9:05 AM, 15th September 2026, 1 month ago
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The government claims its proposed EPC reforms will be “sensitive to the characteristics of each property”.
In answer to a written parliamentary question, energy minister Martin McCluskey claims the government has designed an “enhanced exemptions regime”.
The government has proposed all private rented properties will need to meet EPC C targets by 2030.
Landlords are not penalised
The government has announced plans to overhaul the way EPCs are measured, arguing the current single-metric system is “insufficient”.
Under the current rules, EPCs are based on the amount of energy a property uses per square metre and how much energy it loses through factors such as poor insulation.
The proposed reforms would introduce four headline metrics: fabric performance, heating system, smart readiness and energy cost, with energy use and carbon emissions provided as secondary information.
In a written parliamentary question, Liberal Democrat MP Liz Jarvis asked: “What steps will the government take to ensure that landlords are not penalised for not meeting the EPC C standard where the final Home Energy Model metrics and band boundaries are published after landlords have begun making investment decisions”.
Sensitive to the characteristics of each property
In response, Mr McCluskey confirmed the exemption regime would recognise the characteristics of individual properties
He said: “Achieving EPC C by 2030 using reformed EPC metrics is one route to compliance with the new standards. Alternatively, landlords can start to undertake improvement works now under the grandparenting clause, properties which achieve EPC C or higher on existing EPCs before 1 October 2029 will be recognised as compliant until the EPC expires or is replaced.
“The government has also announced the maximum expenditure required and is designing an enhanced exemptions regime, recognising that efficiency improvements need to be sensitive to the characteristics of each property. We will set out more detail in guidance and regulations.”
A one-size-fits-all approach does not work
As previously reported by Property118, industry bodies have warned a “one-size-fits-all” approach to energy-efficiency targets is not the answer for older properties.
Propertymark has warned that for many older buildings in the private rented sector it simply won’t be feasible to install the necessary upgrades.
Timothy Douglas, head of policy and campaigns at Propertymark, told Property118: “We support efforts to improve the energy efficiency of privately rented homes, but we continue to stress that the proposed EPC C requirements across England and Wales present significant practical challenges for many landlords, particularly those with older and traditionally constructed properties.
“A major concern is that a one-size-fits-all approach does not reflect the diversity of housing stock across the private rented sector.
“Many older homes, including pre-1919 properties, solid wall buildings, and heritage homes, can be difficult and costly to retrofit to EPC C using conventional measures.
“In some cases, the recommended improvements may not be technically suitable, could negatively affect the fabric of the building, or may deliver only limited gains relative to the investment required. Many of our agent members consider the target unrealistic for certain property types without sustained financial support.”
14 comments on this article
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Member Since September 2026 - Comments: 5
3:09 PM, 11th October 2026, About 1 week ago
Reply to the comment left by Bilivino at 11:53
The problem lies with documentation. You can’t magic up documentation proving the existence of something that you suspect is there but can’t see. For these cases, an alternative to the current methodology would be useful. In my case, a flat with good thermal performance (warm in winter, cool in summer, drops half a degree overnight, cheap to run) should be able to have a better rating than its current E, which assumes no insulation. The purpose of the EPC is to demonstrate a property’s energy efficiency, not the owner’s ability to gather /retain paperwork. But this is how it is playing out in the real world.
The information given on the EPCs recommendations is too basic to be useful. If nothing else, it should contain pointers to more in depth information on how to improve the thermal performance of the property.
For example, if I do internal insulation, what materials and thickness? Will it help to do one side of the flat even if both sides would be ideal? Do the expected costs include ancillary works, e.g replacing the kitchen if you have to rip it out in order to put insulation on the walls.
Member Since November 2024 - Comments: 8
1:12 PM, 12th October 2026, About 1 week ago
Reply to the comment left by Jenby at 11/10/2026 – 15:09
The building fabric of your “flat with good thermal performance” is only part of what is being modelled by the assessment. For example, you don’t say how costly your heating system is to run, which will be relevant to why the rating has turned out so low.
Regarding your point about documentation, if you suspect additional insulation has been added beyond that required by Building Regulations at the time of construction (or retrofitted since), you are free to have an invasive survey carried out. The best approach would probably be to involve someone qualified to undertake U-value calculations, such as an OCDEA, perhaps accompanied by a suitable builder. Your DEA can then enter the calculated U-value in your next EPC assessment, provided it is actually better than the default U-value based on the requirements of Building Regulations at the time.
Alternatively, following an invasive inspection, a letter from a suitably qualified person may provide sufficient documentary evidence, but you would need to check the RdSAP conventions carefully to ensure that it meets the requirements.
As for an alternative, an assessor can’t simply take someone’s word that additional insulation is hidden away beyond what Building Regulations required at the time. If you think about it, this is the same reason why we swap answer sheets with another team at the end of a pub quiz for the marking: it maintains a certain level of confidence in the system.
With regard to what insulation to use and what thickness, look at the RdSAP 10 Specification document, which is publicly available on the BRE website. In the final pages it sets out the basis on which recommendations are made — internal wall insulation, for example, is based on an improved wall U-value of 0.30 W/m²K, IIRC.
It is the homeowner’s responsibility however, to choose materials suitable for the particular property and determine the thickness required to achieve the targeted U-value, while complying with Building Regulations, including the relevant backstop U-values in Approved Document L where applicable.
And of course, because you have carried out work under Building Regulations, the building control completion certificate would be an excellent starting point for your documentary evidence trail for the next EPC assessment.
Finally, your point about insulating only part of the external walls – you need to employ the services of a decent DEA to model that for you, so you know the outcome in terms of EPC rating.
Member Since September 2026 - Comments: 5
6:30 PM, 12th October 2026, About 1 week ago
Reply to the comment left by Bilivino at 12/10/2026 – 13:12
Thanks, all useful information (though BTW I did say it was cheap to run). My point is that nowhere on the EPC does it say “Look ‘here’ for further information/advice”. It just tells you in the most basic sense what to do (e.g. install wall and ceiling insulation) plus a totally unrealistic estimate of costs. My other point is that a non-invasive way to determine the energy efficiency of a property is to get a heat loss test done. We had this done on our (non-standard) home. It’s not fast, but it’s accurate and non-invasive, and it would be a real help to include this as an acceptable alternative way to producing an EPC where documentation is lacking and the EPC is therefore misleading.
Member Since October 2026 - Comments: 10
7:17 AM, 16th October 2026, About 4 days ago
Reply to the comment left by KentLL at 20/09/2026 – 08:26
If EPC C is the reason for selling, it’s worth getting the current rating and a costed quote for the works in writing before you market it. A buyer will price the works in either way, and having real numbers stops them guessing high.