Almost 3 million rental homes set to miss government EPC target

Tamara Birch, senior writer, The Eco Experts
Written By
Maximilian Schwerdtfeger
Reviewed By
Published on 18 October 2024
  • An estimated 2.9 million rental properties will need to be improved
  • These changes would cost £23.4bn
  • Half (50%) of landlords are concerned the government will introduce costly charges

An estimated 2.9 million rental properties are at risk of missing the 2030 deadline to reach a minimum EPC rating of C, a new report from Right Move has found. 

The analysis in Rightmove’s Greener Home Report found making the necessary improvements to hit the target would cost £23.4bn – an average of £8,074 per property.

Rightmove surveyed more than 14,000 homeowners and renters, as well as more than 1,000 landlords for the report. 

The survey also found that while half (50%) of landlords are concerned the government will introduce costly charges for not meeting EPC requirements, one in five (19%) renters think stricter energy efficiency regulations should be the top priority for the new government.  

The report and survey also found that 92% of renters say it’s crucial to understand the energy efficiency of their home, compared to 87% of homeowners, showing the growing importance of increasing costs and energy bills in rental properties. 

The report claimed that 72% of people would be “willing to change how and when they use energy” if it meant access to cheaper rates at different times of the day.

An EPC rating on a wooden house

The new Labour government plans to launch its Warmer Homes initiative, which will invest £6.6bn to upgrade homes with better insulation and low-carbon heating like heat pumps. 

However, Rightmove is calling on the government to consider the following to help make homes greener: 

  • Design a package of support for homeowners and landlords across the mass market (properties under £400,000) to make green upgrades, through grants or low-interest, long-term loans
  • One potential consideration could be to allow landlords to offset the costs of energy efficiency improvements against income tax in the year the costs are incurred rather than against capital gains tax when the property is sold
  • Introduce stamp duty rebates if a new buyer makes green improvements in the first few years of purchase. 
  • Encourage mortgage lenders to continue investing in innovation in the green mortgages space, so that new products and awareness of them generates wider mass appeal. 

Tim Bannister, director of property science, Rightmove, said: “It’s clear from our analysis that more needs to be done to help the mass market transition to greener homes, especially those living in homes worth under £400,000. 

In the rental market, through discussions with agents and our research, we know landlords want to provide comfortable, energy-efficient homes, but green upgrades can be costly. For landlords of lower-value properties, the financial returns may not always justify the investment. 

Written by

Tamara Birch, senior writer, The Eco Experts

Tamara is a London-based journalist and has written about environmental topics for more than four years. This includes advising small business owners on cost-effective ways, like solar panels and energy-efficient products, to help them become more sustainable.

She has used her journalist and research skills to become highly knowledgeable on sustainable initiatives, issues, and solutions to help consumers do their bit for the environment - all while reducing monthly costs.

In addition to adopting sustainable practices in her personal life, Tamara has worked in the retail B2B space to help independent retailers think about their environmental choices and how they can help improve their business. She now uses this knowledge to help consumers do the same.

Her passion for sustainability and eco-friendly solutions stems from a long obsession with nature and animals and ensuring they feel looked after. In her free time, Tamara enjoys reading fantasy novels, visiting the gym, and going on long walks in new areas.

You can get in touch with Tamara via email at tamara.birch@mvfglobal.com.

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Reviewed By

Maximilian Schwerdtfeger

Max joined The Eco Experts as content manager in February 2024. He has written about sustainability issues across numerous industries, including maritime, supply chain, finance, mining, and retail. He has also written extensively for consumer titles like City AM, The Morning Star, and The Daily Express.

In 2020, he covered in detail the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) legislation on sulphur emissions and its effects on the global container shipping market as online editor of Port Technology International.

He also explored the initiatives major container ports and terminals have launched in order to ship vital goods across the world without polluting the environment.

Since then, he has reported heavily on the impact made by environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices on the supply chain of minerals, with a particular focus on rare earth mining in Africa.

As part of this, in 2022 Max visited mines and ports in Angola to hone in on the challenges being faced by one of the world’s biggest producers of rare earth minerals.

His most recent sustainability-related work came much closer to home, as he investigated the eco-challenges faced by independent retailers in the UK, specifically looking at how they can cut emissions and continue to thrive.

Max lives in South London and is an avid reader of books on modern history and ghost stories. He has also recently learned to play the game Mahjong and takes every opportunity to do so. He is also yet to find a sport he doesn’t enjoy watching.

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