Government Urged to Extend Timelines and Clarify Funding for Energy Efficiency Goals
There are growing calls for the Government to provide additional time and clearer funding guidelines regarding its energy efficiency objectives. Recently announced plans mandate that rental properties must achieve a minimum Energy Performance rating of C by 2030, with landlords facing potential costs of up to £15,000 per property for necessary improvements.
During a meeting last week with energy minister Miatta Fahnbulleh, the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) emphasized the need for more time and financial clarity to meet these ambitious goals.
An update from the NRLA revealed that the discussion centered on the various barriers to achieving compliance, allowing stakeholders to express significant concerns about the current proposals. Among the issues raised was the 2030 deadline, which many attendees deemed “unreasonable” and “unrealistic.”
Key concerns also included uncertainty over the funding methodology, enforcement processes, and a shortage of skilled tradespeople to implement the required upgrades.
Additionally, the NRLA proposed that landlords should receive incentives, such as improved tax efficiency for undertaking these improvements. They suggested that certain upgrades be classified as revenue or allowable expenses for tax purposes—a point the minister agreed to explore with the Treasury.
Chris Norris, NRLA policy director, noted, “This meeting provided a valuable opportunity to engage directly with the minister, who expressed a willingness to maintain an open dialogue regarding the proposed timeline for these changes.”
He added, “Deadlines are effective only if they are achievable. With approximately 2.5 million rental homes currently rated D-G on their Energy Performance Certificates (EPC), it’s evident that the current timeline is unrealistic. Even with full funding and immediate commencement of upgrades, we still face a shortage of tradespeople to perform the work.”
Norris warned that enforcing the 2030 deadline could lead to the removal of thousands, if not tens of thousands, of homes from the rental market, severely impacting supply and affordability for tenants—the very individuals this legislation aims to support. He concluded that further work is necessary to establish more feasible timelines.
