The government has confirmed plans to introduce a mandatory requirement for all private sector rental properties to achieve a minimum Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of Band C by 2030. This move is part of the government’s broader commitment to reducing fuel poverty and improving energy efficiency across the country.

Miatta Fahnbulleh, the Under Secretary for Energy Security and Net Zero, announced the policy in Parliament stating, “This government is committed to reducing the number of fuel-poor households in England. We will require landlords to improve their properties to Energy Performance Certificate standard C by 2030. Ensuring warmer, healthier private rented homes will lift many families out of fuel poverty and reduce energy bills.”

Ed Miliband, Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero has previously said “More than three million people are in fuel poverty in our country. One thing that this Government will do that the last Government did not is demand that landlords raise the standard of their accommodation to a proper energy performance certificate standard C by 2030. That will make a dent in this issue, but the House should be in no doubt about our ambition to cut that number of 3.2 million as much as possible in the five years of this Parliament.”

The requirement for a minimum EPC Band C rating is expected to significantly impact the private rental sector, which has been a focus of energy efficiency improvements in recent years. Currently, any property in England that is being let as an entire property must have a valid EPC rated at ‘E’ or above.

At the start of tenancies, landlords are required to provide tenants with a current EPC. EPC’s are valid for ten years.

However, the Labour Government is reportedly considering introducing the new EPC requirements without the original £10,000 price cap on energy efficiency improvements that was part of previous proposals. This has raised concerns among some property owners, particularly those with older Victorian properties, about the potential costs of compliance.

Labour has taken a more cautious approach to other ‘Net Zero’ issues. The party has moved away from setting a deadline for replacing gas boilers with greener alternatives, a policy that the Tories proposed but then scrapped in July 2023.