Experts warn heat pumps are too expensive for many homes to meet net zero targets
1 year ago | 8 comments
More than 5,000 retrofits needed a day to meet EPC C targets costing landlords thousands
9:05 AM, 20th March 2025, 1 year ago
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A video by the NRLA reveals that 5,000 retrofits would need to be completed every working day to meet EPC C targets.
The Energy Secretary, Ed Miliband, has announced that all private rented properties must meet Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) targets by 2030, with a stricter deadline of 2028 for new tenancies.
The NRLA warns that this leaves landlords just three and a half years to comply, potentially costing them thousands of pounds to upgrade their properties.
Government fails to mention cost to landlords and tenants
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 NRLA, landlords would need to spend an average of £6,100 to £6,800 per property to meet these energy targets.
Research suggests upgrading the entire private rented sector could cost over £20 billion, with many of these costs being passed down to tenants through rent increases.
Even if landlords recoup just half of the cost over 10 years, tenants could see rents increase by £300 a year, which is more than the £240 they’re expected to save on energy bills.
Court backlog continues to grow
Elsewhere in the video, the NRLA says the court backlog continues to grow.
According to the NRLA, there were more than 24,000 claims for possession from landlords in the last quarter of 2024, a 3% rise compared to 2023.
The time it takes from claim to repossession has also increased by 25 weeks.
The NRLA warns that the Renters’ Rights Bill will only increase pressure on the court system and points to a survey from NRLA members, which reveals that 70% of members cited issues with court-based possessions as a key factor in determining what rents they will charge in the future.
Tags:
court backlog, energy efficiency, EPC, EPC C targets, Landlords, NRLA, Private Rented Sector, rent increases, renters rights bill, retrofits
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Member Since June 2013 - Comments: 3237 - Articles: 81
4:27 PM, 20th March 2025, About 1 year ago
Reply to the comment left by GlanACC at 20/03/2025 – 16:10
Yes I only did mine cause 6k of work free. Then I stopped em all cause of crappy builders.
Member Since April 2020 - Comments: 95
10:19 AM, 24th March 2025, About 1 year ago
I live in a part of the world and have properties which I rent here which is traditional and in an area of ONB and Conservation area. If you look at the EPC ratings of just about every one of the cottages and house in this area hardly any of them are anywhere near a C and, where let. must have exemptions already. There must be loads of these types of properties which due to their construction ie stone walls etc will be difficult if not impossible to retrofit without problems occurring and one wonders what is going to happen because I doubt many of these properties will ever become C rating. My EPC advisor says that they still cannot advise anyone what to do as the advisors do not have any clear indication yet and it will be some time before they can confidently give advice and, even when they can, will it mean that all of these properties can be purchased to live in but can’t be let, that seems ridiculous as the houses are currently popular and people want to rent them. It will drastically reduce the housing stock for rent presumably in these areas pushing up rents for those which do/can meet the standard due to shortage of supply and flood the sales market with those which can’t. In other words create a very imbalanced situation.
Member Since October 2013 - Comments: 1630 - Articles: 3
5:04 PM, 24th March 2025, About 1 year ago
Reply to the comment left by DP at 24/03/2025 – 10:19
Maybe it’s a ruse to force landlords in those (often rural) areas to sell to locals.
Member Since April 2020 - Comments: 95
7:00 PM, 24th March 2025, About 1 year ago
Reply to the comment left by NewYorkie at 24/03/2025 – 17:04
you mean sell my hard worked for and managed pension fund of the last 25 years up at a loss or minimal amount and then look for income support from the state ? I fancy I will not be alone if this happens so where is the sense behind that intention I wonder.
Member Since August 2017 - Comments: 22
9:54 PM, 24th March 2025, About 1 year ago
Reply to the comment left by DP at 24/03/2025 – 19:00
There is no sense in any of it. The law of unintended consequences will mean that if Labour continue to forge ahead with all this net-zero nonsense, this country will be bankrupted, and everyone will be speaking Chinese in 50 years’ time. That, or Arabic!
Member Since October 2013 - Comments: 1630 - Articles: 3
9:32 AM, 25th March 2025, About 1 year ago
Reply to the comment left by DP at 24/03/2025 – 19:00
That’s the problem. There is no sense behind these moves. It’s always about who they believe can deliver the most votes, and shelter and generation rent have their ears.
Member Since February 2018 - Comments: 627
3:03 PM, 31st March 2025, About 1 year ago
Reply to the comment left by NewYorkie at 20/03/2025 – 11:40
My demised leasehold flats extend to little more than the airspace between the walls, I don’t even own the window frames, therefore beyond the limited capacity to change lights to LEDs there isn’t much more that can be done, the whole thing is politics of control and deprivation of private property by the state.