Date Published 21 September 2023
Yesterday evening, Rishi Sunak confirmed growing rumours that the government was to 'soften' several key green policies, including minimum EPC standards for rental properties, that were to cost landlords thousands.
In his speech, he stated that the costs of upgrading homes were huge and likely to be passed on as higher rents to tenants.
Instead, the Government will offer money as an incentive to landlords and homeowners to upgrade their properties, with EPC changes that were due to go live for existing tenancies in 2028 now scrapped.
A new survey by boiler repair firm Fair Fix revealed that just one in five property owners supported the planned ban on gas boilers, with 94% saying that they should choose what type of energy powers their home.
However, with many landlords already committing thousands of pounds to the proposed changes and some even walking away from the sector as they could not afford the upgrades, the news would have felt like a further betrayal from a government that has long been perceived to be anti-landlord.
Those in the industry were quick to react to the latest government U-turn. Here's what they said:
Ben Thompson, deputy CEO of Mortgage Advice Bureau, said: "The reality is that the UK will still need to upgrade its leaky housing stock. With energy bills in the spotlight, EPC ratings are climbing up prospective buyers' wish lists, and if the housing market is to meet net zero targets, properties need to be retrofitted.
"The UK has some of the oldest and least efficient homes in Europe, and backtracking won't help solve the overall problem - it simply serves as kicking the can down the road."
Ben Beadle, Chief Executive of the National Residential Landlords Association, said: 'The NRLA wants to see all properties as energy efficient as possible. However, the uncertainty surrounding energy efficiency policy has been hugely damaging to the supply of rented properties.
"Landlords are struggling to make investment decisions without a clear idea of the Government's direction of travel.
'It is welcome that landlords will not be required to invest substantial sums of money during a cost-of-living crisis when many are themselves struggling financially. However, ministers need to use the space they are creating to develop a full plan that supports the rental market to make the energy efficiency improvements we all want to see.
"This must include appropriate financial support and reform of the tax system which currently fails to support investment in energy efficiency measures.'
