The majority of landlords with properties rated D or below on the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) are planning to make improvements to reach at least a C rating, according to new data from Landbay. The findings come even as Housing Secretary Michael Gove hints at the possibility of delaying the proposed date for all landlords to achieve a minimum EPC rating of C.
In a recent article for the Sunday Telegraph, Gove expressed concerns that the government was demanding ‘too much too quickly’ from landlords. He suggested it might be time to ‘relax the pace’ of the reforms. This follows the government’s proposals that all rented properties should reach an EPC rating of C or higher by 2028.
Landbay’s quarterly survey reveals that almost two-thirds of landlords (65%) own properties with EPC ratings of D, E, F, or G. Of those, 34% are planning improvements to reach the C rating as soon as possible, while 39% intend to wait until closer to the government’s current 2028 deadline.
Compared to a previous survey last summer by Landbay, more landlords now plan immediate action to increase EPC ratings, up from 27% at that time.
Awareness of the Government’s proposal has remained stable, with 78% of landlords aware of the plans in the latest survey, compared to 79% in August last year. The proposal has since changed to align the 2025 deadline for new tenancies with the 2028 target.
The issue of EPC improvements is still contentious, with some landlords facing costs of £5,000 to £9,999 to bring properties up to standard, on top of current rising expenses.
Paul Brett, Landbay’s managing director of intermediaries, said: “The Government’s proposal remains just that – a proposal, and the can has been kicked down the road a couple of times already with the change to 2028 being the latest. If Michael Gove’s comments are anything to go by, we could yet see further movement to the timeline.
“In spite of this, it’s very encouraging to see the majority of landlords with lower rated properties planning to make improvements, especially the strong proportion pledging to as soon as they can. If Gove does get his way, it will be interesting to see how these results change – if at all.”
