Third of homes for sale fail to meet EPC C rating

I think most of us know that adding insulation can increase the risk of damp and mould, especially in older properties.
We also know that adding Solar PV can achieve a much higher rating. My latest EPC suggests Solar PV would add 12 points (it’s already EPC Rated C).
Labour have committed to Great British Energy…
“clean energy by 2030 is Labour’s second mission”
…so,, why do I need to add expensive Solar PV to my rental properties at a cost of between £3,500 and £5,500 if the certificate is to be believed)? Solar PV requires ongoing maintenance and it may need removing to repair the roof. It would potentially save the tenant £516 per year according to my latest certificate. But I’d increase the rent by at least as much as that to recover my investment and to cover the cost of any repairs,
Why can’t we just wait for Labour’s National Grid powered by green energy? Why do we need to install expensive panels to our properties?
Or is it because Labour will not deliver green energy by 2030, just as they won’t build 1.5 million new homes during this Parliament?

The government has announced all private rented sector properties will need to meet EPC C targets by 2030.

This coming from a government who wont be in power by then.

Result? do nothing.

Reply to the comment left by Reluctant Landlord at 30/10/2024 - 09:45
And they haven’t introduced a Bill yet.

I’m not sure Labour know how government works. Hardly surprising since most of them were still in nappies when we last had a Labour government.

Selling a property of C or less is irrelevant, it only has a meaning to a landlord buying an property.

For a private (non PRS) buyer they largely even now don't take much notice of EPC ratings, a few will but not many. It comes down to location and price.

Does anyone know when the revised EPC criteria will be implemented?
Current crazy situation when my flat is rated D,the system ignores that 40% of the external wall abuts other residential,points deducted for installing an ultraefficint Fischer night storage water heater,electric heating to be removed for a fossil fuel gas central heating system,insulation to be laid over woodblock floor on concrete slab on 60cm of fill involving gutting kitchen,bathroom,fitted wardrobes etc to achieve C.
All total madness from a surveyor who has done a 3 day course!

"However, research by epIMS suggests that upgrading a property could cost £8,000."

This is extremely misleading for at least two reasons. Taking the mean average by calculating the total cost of upgrading all required properties and dividing by the number of properties may give a figure of £8000. If it is done by using the EPC figures they may be out by a factor of between 2 and 10. If a tenant is living in the house and it is full of possessions, it is almost impossible to install under floor insulation or internal wall insulation. It also takes no account of redecoration which can be £300 to £600 per room. If tenants have to be moved out temporarily and their possessions put into storage that is an additional, unaccounted-for, cost.

With an average, some will be above and some will be below. It is quite possible that, even if (which is doubtful) the £8000 is correct, a significant percentage of properties will cost £25,000 to £50,000 to upgrade. That is uneconomic. Moreover, the cost of labour and materials will likely rocket as we approach 2030.

It is no carrot and all stick for landlords with this Government and unless there are exemptions that landlords can be confident of securing where a property cannot economically be increased to a C rating, expect the supply of rental properties to decrease.