"Whilst there are government schemes such as the Boiler Upgrade Scheme targeting the move from gas to electricity through heat pumps, it isn’t always the case that such measures are required to move to an EPC of C"
- Michael Davey - OSB Group
In the summer of 2024, the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, Ed Miliband, announced new interest in Energy Performance Certificates (often referred to as EPCs), stating that landlords would need their properties to meet a minimum EPC rating of C by 2030.
This could be considered an acute diversion from the Conservative Government’s earlier decision to scrap the existing plans to introduce the “C” rating as a minimum for the Private Rented Sector.
As a landlord, clarity on what’s required and by when is paramount to maintaining regulatory and legislative compliance through managing costs and planning investment.
OSB Group’s landlord leaders research shows that despite this, the cost of retrofitting was the second-highest driver of rising costs for landlords in 2024, with 38% investing ahead of legislative changes such as EPC requirements.
The research, which highlights that landlords are adapting for positive tenant relationships, also shows that most landlords are funding, or plan to fund updates to, their properties to make them more energy efficient. They’re doing this through means other than additional borrowing - using ongoing budgets as well as savings and equity are cited as the most likely sources of funding.
In December 2024, the government published a consultation aimed at reforming the EPC system itself, to provide more decision-useful information to owners and occupiers, with changes expected to take effect as early as 2026.
EPC reform was closely followed by the anticipated consultation on Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards in February 2025. Timescales are bold, with new tenancies potentially required to meet a minimum EPC of C by 2028, and all tenancies by 2030.
How to find your property’s EPC rating
The energy rating and score for a property can be easily found by visiting the open government register here
When reviewing an EPC, you should always consider the age of the certificate, which can be up to ten years old. It’s important to recognise that any works that have already been carried out since the assessment took place would not be included in the rating. On the government website, you’ll also find a handy tool to determine which changes you could make to a property to make energy efficiency improvements.
The question quite rightly at the forefront of landlords’ minds is: how much will energy performance improvements cost?
How much will it cost to improve your EPC?
Whilst there are government schemes such as the Boiler Upgrade Scheme targeting the move from gas to electricity through heat pumps, it isn’t always the case that such measures are required to move to an EPC of C.
When analysing its own lending, OSB Group found that around 25% of properties likely need to spend less than £750 to achieve an EPC rating of C. A further 25% need to spend between £750 and up to £3,500 to achieve the same rating.
The government estimates that the average spend will be between £6,100 and £6,800 per property.
How to improve your EPC rating
There are many ways to improve the energy efficiency of a property, including some low-cost improvements that can be done on a budget, such as draught-proofing and insulating of loft spaces or tanks and pipes, and installing radiator controls.
You could benefit from being more aware of your usage. The use of devices for monitoring energy efficiency can also contribute to reducing your usage, making your property more energy efficient, reducing heating costs and improving your rating.
If you’d like to gain more insight through landlord research, visit our research in action section of the landlord leaders community website and register your interest in becoming a member of the community.
