The government could be about to delay the deadline to upgrade privately rented properties to EPC C.
As things stand, the projected deadline is 31 December 2025 for new tenancies and 31 December 2028 for existing tenancies – although the relevant law, the Minimum Energy Performance of Buildings (No. 2) Bill, is in the early stages of the parliamentary process and not yet law.
According to press reports, though, the deadline for all tenancies will be pushed back to 2028.
Many landlords will breathe a sigh of relief. According to the latest English Housing Survey (EHS), 58.2% of privately rented properties have an EPC of D or below. Upgrading properties to EPC C would cost an average of £7,747, according to the EHS – although other research has estimated bigger costs. Even with the proposed cost cap of £10,000 in place, after which landlords can get an exemption from carrying out further work, those in England alone would face a total bill of £17.9 billion.
However, there is no word of additional support for landlords to upgrade their properties. Industry groups have previously called for more grants and loans to bring rented properties up to standard, but the government’s recently published energy strategy doesn’t deliver the investment needed according to the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors.. Delaying the EPC deadline also means that tenants will face higher energy bills in the interim.
The reported delays (and the reports themselves) will also inject fresh uncertainty over EPC deadlines, further damaging housing providers’ confidence. Extensions to the deadline have been rumoured before: in 2021, press reports suggested that it could be pushed back to 2026. Industry groups have been calling for clarity for over a year, while individual landlords are planning to sell in large numbers.
Without an official announcement that the 2025 deadline has been dropped – or progress on the Minimum Energy Performance of Buildings (No. 2) Bill – landlords will still be in the dark about how soon they need to invest thousands of pounds in energy-efficient upgrades.
Other regulation headlines
Housing ministers contradict themselves over Renters’ Reform Act plans – LandlordZONE
Section 21 use “overstated” according to LRG research – Estate Agent Today
