The NRLA has urged the government to rethink its “unworkable and unrealistic” energy efficiency plans for the private rented sector.

Regulations will not be confirmed until late 2026, after which landlords will be expected to ensure any property subject to a new tenancy hits EPC C by 2028, with all other rentals following shortly behind in 2030.

“To meet this deadline rental homes would need to be retrofitted at a rate of 5,000 per working day, a proposal which, quite frankly, is madness,” says chief executive Ben Beadle (main image).

Ambitions

He has written to Energy Minister Miatta Fahnbulleh, calling on the government to introduce a 10-year implementation period to allow the sector to meet the ambitions set out in the consultation. The NRLA also wants a clear plan to address the shortage of skilled tradespeople which is estimated to hit 250,000 by 2030.

Landlords will be hit with bills of up to £15,000 per property to bring them up to a minimum or have them pulled from the market. That’s why it’s essential any energy efficiency measures are accompanied by a bespoke financial support package, says Beadle.

He explains that landlords’ only option is to recover the cost of improvements through rents over time, but that recouping just half of this figure over a 10-year period would equate to an extra £300 a year on rents, compared to the £240 the government says tenants will save on bills per annum.

Says Beadle: “The reality is rents will go up and homes will be lost. There is also the risk that some landlords will simply leave the sector altogether, further deepening the current housing supply crisis.”

An earlier consultation into the way in which EPCs are calculated is only due to end this month, meaning even landlords who have already achieved a C or above may see their homes rebranded once the changes come in.

Read the letter in full (downloads PDF).