According to the Daily Telegraph, her four-bedroom Dulwich home currently holds an EPC rating of D, below the planned threshold requiring all new tenancies to reach EPC C by 2028 and all existing lets by 2030.
The measures, championed by Energy Secretary Ed Miliband, would leave Reeves’ property non-compliant unless recommended improvements are carried out. An EPC assessment for the house, seen by the newspaper, sets out upgrade works estimated between £4,900 and £7,550.
Labour’s climate rules heap pressure on Reeves
Conservative Party chairman Kevin Hollinrake argued that the Chancellor’s situation highlights the strain imposed by Labour’s climate agenda. He said the latest episode underscores how the party’s regulatory approach is burdening landlords and tightening the squeeze on housing.
He spoke to the Daily Telegraph: “Rachel Reeves finds herself in yet another sticky situation of her government’s own making.
“Ed Miliband’s reckless dash for net zero means Reeves now faces a £7,550 bill to bring her property up to an EPC rating of C.”
He finished saying: “This is indicative of the growing burden of red tape Labour is piling onto landlords across the country – driving up rents and reducing supply.”
The recommended EPC improvements include adding thicker loft insulation, priced between £100 and £350, and lifting flooring to install new insulation at a cost of £800 to £1,200.
A solar water heating system is also advised, with installation typically ranging from £4,000 to £6,000.
Together, these measures would raise the property’s rating from 64 to 70, nudging it into the C band.
Yet the financial return is modest: annual energy bills would fall by only around £300, meaning the Chancellor could wait a quarter of a century before recouping the outlay.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has come under renewed scrutiny regarding her London home.
Back in October, she was found to have breached housing regulations by failing to secure a selective licence from Southwark Council after renting out the property following her move into No 11.
Although the Labour-run authority has previously pursued prosecutions against private landlords for similar offences — with penalties of up to £30,000 — it chose not to take enforcement action in Reeves’ case.
A landlord group’s spokesperson Norris sent out a stark warning that there high numbers of landlords having to raise same the amount of costs to complete the work, said: “The government has been slow to recognise the economics of private renting when it comes to energy efficiency measures, and the fact that rent inflation is driven largely by landlords’ costs.
“Even if these costs are not her primary concern, we would encourage the Chancellor to focus on the effect that these upfront costs will have on the cost of living for renting households.”
Former energy and net zero minister Miatta Fahnbulleh defended the policy, stressing that the shift is designed to “reduce the number of fuel-poor households in England.”
She added: “Ensuring warmer, healthier private rented homes will lift many families out of fuel poverty and reduce energy bills.”
Industry forecasts warn landlords could face a collective bill of around £36bn to meet energy efficiency targets, with the rental sector unlikely to achieve EPC band C until 2043 — more than a decade past the government’s 2030 deadline.
Mortgage lenders caution that the financial strain may drive some landlords to sell up or withdraw properties from long-term lettings, raising the risk of evictions and further constricting supply.
The Daily Telegraph reported that the Chancellor’s office was asked to respond.