A landlord association has responded to the government’s plans for mandatory energy efficiency performance levels of PRS homes, by telling politicians that there is little chance of the targets being met. The trade body scoilds the government because it is their own fault as it has failed to respond to its consultation on EPC targets that closed over two years ago.  

The association says because of this the government has failed to map out any clear actions and steps that need to be taken, and wants it to announce that the proposed deadlines in the consultation are untenable and unrealistic.

The group also calls for the government to finally provide a definitive timetable for when it will publish its response to the consultation and the introduction of future legislation. The association says landlords needs this so they can fully understand what lies ahead regarding the energy efficiency requirements for their properties.

A spokesperson for the association said: .“We all want to see properties as energy efficient as possible however, the government’s delay in responding to its consultation on energy standards in the private rented sector means its plans are dead in the water.

“The lack of clarity is playing a major part in holding back investment in the homes to rent tenants desperately need. In the interests of certainty, the government needs to admit what we all know, namely that it has no hope of meeting its proposed energy targets for the rental market.” 

The government’s target EPC ratings of C or higher will be for all new PRS tenancies in 2025 which must be met and by 2028 for all tenancies in PRS ‘homes’ must reach the same required level. 

The energy efficiency consultation closed in January 2021 and the association says the government has not provided any real clarity, besides proposing that all landlords will be expected to pay up to £10,000 to ensure properties reach the necessary energy performance level.

It wants the government to link the cost of EPC improvements to average market rents in any given area, which could in effect mean that landlords in differing parts of the country could pay between £5,000 to £10,.000 according to the areas’ average market rents.

The association spokesperson says: “The plans as they currently stand, rely on a misguided assumption that landlords have unlimited sums of money.