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What’s the true cost for landlords to get properties to EPC C by 2030?
9:20 AM, 2nd April 2026, 1 week ago
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I’ve been digging into the EPC open data register to work out what the EPC C 2030 deadline actually means in practice for a typical small portfolio. Not the headline figures from government consultations, the actual numbers from real EPC certificates in real postcodes.
Thought it might be useful to share what I found, because the picture is more nuanced than “it’ll cost you £6,000-7,000” that keeps getting quoted.
The government publishes every EPC certificate through their open data portal (epc.opendatacommunities.org). It’s free to access. Each certificate includes the current rating, the potential rating after improvements, and a list of specific recommended upgrades with estimated cost ranges.
I pulled every domestic EPC in my local authority area and filtered for properties currently rated D, E, F, or G , the ones that need upgrading.
The spread of upgrade costs is enormous. A D-rated mid-terrace from the 1930s with reasonable loft insulation and double glazing might only need a boiler upgrade and cavity wall insulation to hit C, potentially £2,500-4,000 total. A solid-wall Victorian end-terrace rated E with single-glazed sash windows and no loft insulation could easily exceed the £10,000 cost cap.
The single biggest factor in whether your upgrade is affordable is wall type. Cavity wall insulation costs £350-500 and can shift your rating by 5-10 points. Solid wall insulation (internal or external) costs £5,000-15,000 and many landlords on Property118 have rightly pointed out it can cause damp issues in older properties.
The second factor is your current heating system. If you’ve got a modern condensing gas boiler rated A, you’ve already banked those points. If you’re still on an old non-condensing boiler, the swap alone (£2,000-3,000) can add 10-15 points to your score.
Properties that achieve EPC C under the current assessment method (EER) before October 2029 will be deemed compliant until their EPC expires, which is 10 years. That means if you get assessed at C under the current system before the new Home Energy Model kicks in, you’re potentially covered until 2039.
The new HEM system requires you to meet two criteria: fabric performance AND either smart readiness (solar panels, battery storage) OR heating system performance (heat pumps). This is likely to be harder and more expensive to pass. Several people on webinars have confirmed this interpretation.
So there’s a genuine argument for getting your properties assessed sooner rather than later under the current system, even if your EPCs aren’t due for renewal.
What I’d actually want to know per property after going through this exercise, I realised what would actually help me (and I suspect many landlords) is a simple per-property view.
The specific upgrades recommended for THIS property (not generic advice)
What I’d actually want to know per property:
- The specific upgrades recommended for that property (not generic advice)
- How many points each upgrade would add
- Whether it’s enough to reach EPC C or trigger a cost cap exemption
- What grants might apply (e.g. ECO4, Warm Homes Local Grant) based on the property and tenant
I’m curious, how many of you have actually looked up your properties on the EPC register and gone through the specific recommendations?
And for those who’ve already started upgrading, did the recommended improvements actually move the needle the way the certificate predicted, or was the reality different?
Interested to hear real experiences. The government estimates feel very average-based and I suspect the property-by-property variation is huge.
Thanks,
Kshitig
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Member Since October 2024 - Comments: 11
6:48 PM, 4th April 2026, About 5 days ago
Reply to the comment left by Neil P at 04/04/2026 – 11:12
Neil, I have no further information than what was contained in Annex A provided by the Government. I have said I am not a tax expert so if you need guidance on your query, it is perhaps more appropriate to speak to your accountant.
Sorry I cannot be of more help in this particular matter.
Member Since October 2024 - Comments: 11
6:52 PM, 4th April 2026, About 5 days ago
Reply to the comment left by Martin Thomas at 04/04/2026 – 11:52
Martin, yes you are likely to get more points, but it is not a straightforward pro rata increase. The more PV panels you put on leads to diminishing additional returns for points I am afraid. The EPC only looks at the potential reduction in energy cost savings, it does not take account of any export tariffs that may apply.
Member Since January 2023 - Comments: 142
6:23 PM, 6th April 2026, About 3 days ago
Reply to the comment left by Martin Thomas at 02/04/2026 – 10:53
6 epc points per 2.5 kw
Member Since April 2026 - Comments: 2
10:49 PM, 6th April 2026, About 3 days ago
Reply to the comment left by Beaver at 02/04/2026 – 10:53
Indeed. The ‘ fabric first ‘ approach appears to be the rationale that will earn you the upgrade from a ‘ D’ to a ‘C’. Cavity Wall insulation ( the stuff they pump in ) is being touted as the cheapest most cost effective measure. But no Insulation firm would touch a timber framed / brick clad building of which there are thousands in the rental market. That then forces a landlord down a rabbit hole of expensive measures that may hardly move the dial. The exemption route in 2030 can’t be entirely relied on either : is the cost cap ( 10k ) fixed or will that goal post shift too ? I’m not clear if you have to spend the full 10k to qualify either. How can you calculate all other measures to exactly ten thousand pounds? Many might find themselves up the creek in 2030 when the protocols haven’t been met for exemption. Landlords will then be in the new territory of Renters Rights and may be in the intolerable position of having a rental property that is deemed illegal / non- compliant despite best efforts. Then what ? Perpetual fines and tenants advised to withhold rent ( in perpetuity ) ! So, you apply for another exemption ….why if there are no measures that can be taken ? It’s intolerable. Landlords are being led into unchartered territory with no clear answers other than vague suggestions and costing generated by an assessor who uses an algorithm. Properties may be seized by the government, pensions snuffed out or tenants being able to claim ownership of the landlords’ only financial security in old age.
Member Since May 2018 - Comments: 1999
9:28 AM, 7th April 2026, About 2 days ago
Reply to the comment left by Steve Williams at 06/04/2026 – 22:49
In answer to your question, “Then what”, for many landlords the answer is going to be remove the tenant to put family members back in, remove the tenant to develop, or remove the tenant to sell. Whichever way this goes, the tenants won’t benefit.
It would make more sense to change the tax system to avoid penalising landlords for energy efficiency improvements as then there’s a chance that everyone might benefit.
Member Since May 2018 - Comments: 1999
11:44 AM, 7th April 2026, About 2 days ago
Reply to the comment left by Pete England – PaTMa Property Management at 04/04/2026 – 11:39
So if these are 400w panels then maybe they’ll generate 400kw per annum…so that could be maybe £600 total revenue per annum if you were exporting ALL of it? Or maybe, depending upon where you are in the UK, if your roof is south facing you might generate a bit more and get closer to £900 per annum if you were exporting ALL of it? But that’s TOTAL possible revenue IF exported…you aren’t going to be exporting that and receiving the revenue even if you are in receipt of the SEG Export because that generating capacity is going to be replacing part or all of the tenants’ electricity usage. So that’s not ROI.
And I’m guessing that the £4,600 wasn’t the cost of installation, just the cost of the panels.
I can see how you could make this work on a HMO although I can’t yet see how this would make sense for a typical 3 bed semi or 4 bed detached house rented out in entirety to one tenant who would normally be responsible for paying both the gas bill and the electricity bill and would normally as the bill payer also receive the SEG payment. The tenant isn’t going to want to fork out £4,600 or more for solar panels if as the landlord you can give the tenant 4 months notice. If you are not replacing the gas boiler this looks like a first-time investment, not the cost of replacement – so it looks like Capex. As you don’t normally receive the SEG payment as the landlord it looks as though the only way this would be feasible is if you put the rent up to service the extra investment. And you have to put the rent up more if you aren’t permitted to offset revenue from rent to service the capital cost.
So the solution for most landlords is:
– do nothing
-wait until closer to the point when you have to do something
– remove the tenant and either:
1. Make the necessary capital investment and sell
2. Make the necessary capital investment and rent to a new tenant at a higher rent.
3. Sell to an owner occupier if the numbers don’t stack up.
Member Since January 2023 - Comments: 142
12:06 PM, 7th April 2026, About 2 days ago
Reply to the comment left by Beaver at 07/04/2026 – 11:44
The solar panels will add critical points to the EPC. At present the EPC allows no points for batteries but we are nevertheless putting them in so that power microgenerated can be time shifted for use free of charge by the tenant. In future rent increases can be challenged at Tribunal. If a dwelling has a well specified solar system this will presumably entitle the landlord to achiece a slightly better rent than for a dwelling where there is no free issue electricity. There are a multitude of different firms. Shop around to find one who is giving good offers and go with them
Member Since May 2018 - Comments: 1999
12:15 PM, 7th April 2026, About 2 days ago
Reply to the comment left by Contango at 07/04/2026 – 12:06
And so the issue comes back to (of course) raising rents to make this investment feasible when in reality the government could make the investment more feasible by introducing the capital allowances and restructuring the finance system so that landlords aren’t penalised for doing this. The majority…the small, non-incorporated landlords would be likely to be penalised for making these investments…and they have to raise rents even further in order to claw back the additional tax as higher rents.
Member Since May 2014 - Comments: 88
2:09 PM, 7th April 2026, About 2 days ago
I think the days of not increasing rent for years at a time are over. With inflation and interest rates low I left one property unchanged for 10 years. Now I increase every year or so. Capital investment won’t change how much I charge for rent, I’ll be increasing regardless. May have had an effect 10 years ago but not now.
Member Since May 2018 - Comments: 1999
2:14 PM, 7th April 2026, About 2 days ago
Reply to the comment left by Neil P at 07/04/2026 – 14:09
This article claims that in London at the moment agents are front-loading rents:
“Bidding wars are now banned so agents are front loading rents by up to 30 per cent. This will put more pressure on social housing where there is already a shortage.”
https://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/mortgageshome/article-15709063/Im-property-expert-Heres-small-landlords-eradicated-SIX-months.html
The article is actually about the demise of the small portfolio landlord. And it is true that the small portfolio landlord is being penalised.