Should buy to let landlords act now to avoid the EPC ratings deadline?.

With new energy efficiency requirements for privately rented properties poised to come into effect in 2028 and 2030, are landlords aware of the tighter EPC standards and ready to meet the upcoming deadlines?

In this article, we discuss the proposed EPC regulations, the costs of missing the deadline, the benefits of making changes now, and how lenders can support landlords looking to make the necessary energy efficient improvements to their Buy to Let portfolio.

What is the EPC ratings deadline?

Currently, all private rental properties are required to meet an EPC rating of at least an E.

Under planned changes, which look increasingly likely to become law in 2026, landlords will need to ensure that their properties meet a minimum EPC rating of C by 2028 for new tenancies and by 2030 for existing tenancies.

The government is proposing a maximum spend of £15,000 per property for these improvements. Landlords that have spent up to the limit and still not achieved a C rating on the property will be able to register for a 10-year exemption.

Why are the EPC regulations for rental properties being changed?

The new EPC regulations form part of two key government initiatives, with the first being to help hit net zero targets on carbon emissions. The second initiative is the Warm Homes Plan which looks to improve energy efficiency and decrease heating utility bills across England, lifting over 1 million people out of fuel poverty by 2030.   

What are the costs of waiting to improve your EPC ratings?

It might feel like there’s plenty of time before the deadlines hit, but, with an estimated 2.9 million private rental properties in need of improvement, landlords could be faced with logistical headaches and financial heartbreaks should they wait too long to start making changes.

For example:

• Materials, equipment and skilled labour will be in high demand causing scarcity and an increase in prices as the deadline gets closer.


• The fine for failing to comply with the proposed regulations will be up to £30,000 per property, which could end up being very expensive for portfolio landlords.


• If you have a portfolio, you might not have the time to project manage the improvements across multiple properties in your estate. Additionally, you won’t be able to spread the costs of the refurbishments over time as easily.

What are the benefits of improving your EPC rating?

For landlords looking to get ahead of the game, there are more benefits than just avoiding the fines and the increasing materials and labour costs. Here are a few of the reasons why having a rental property with a high EPC rating now could be advantageous:

• Adding energy-efficient improvements to your property can increase the overall value and potentially the rental amount that you could charge.


• Investing in improvements to insulation, ventilation and heating systems can help to reduce moisture that can contribute to damp and mould.


• More renters are factoring energy efficiency into the decision-making process when deciding where to live, either for eco-conscious reasons or to reduce utility bills.

What improvements can you make to increase your EPC rating?

All properties are unique and will have their own challenges affecting their EPC rating, so we can’t give you a catch-all list of improvements that’ll guarantee you’ll comply with the new requirements.

But we do know two places where you can get that bespoke list:

• GOV.UK – Simply visit the government’s website and enter the address of a property to access the current EPC. It’s free and literally takes minutes. As well as providing you with the current score, the certificate will give you a potential score and a step-by-step list of improvements that will get you to that higher score, based off the recommendations of the assessor that carried out the EPC assessment.


• Energy efficiency consultants – If you’ve made all the recommended improvements listed on your EPC and can’t raise the rating to at least a C, you can get advice from a range of companies that specialise in energy efficiency upgrades. They may also be able to provide comprehensive assessment and installation plans to help you manage the upgrades across your full portfolio. 

At Together, we’ve partnered with energy efficiency experts Improveasy to support our customers as they transform their properties.

A market leader in the green home improvement sector since 2011, Improveasy provide full energy assessments, installation and grant funding support to homeowners, landlords and businesses, predominantly in the North West of England.

Check out their online service, EPC Builder, to see how they can quickly and easily get you started on your EPC improvement journey.

What support can landlords get to make the EPC improvements?

There are a range of grants and funding initiatives that landlords of a private rental property can apply for (or ask their tenants to apply for on their behalf) when making EPC enhancements.

They usually only apply to properties with current EPC ratings below C and can have other caveats such as needing to be in a specific Council Tax band or postcode. Some of the initiatives may be means-tested, so your tenant will need to be in receipt of certain benefits to claim the support.

Here are some of the main grants available:

• Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) – If you’re replacing a fossil fuel heating system (using gas, oil, electric or LPG), you can get a grant of £7,500 towards the cost of installing a heat pump, or £5,000 towards installing a biomass boiler.


• Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS) – This government scheme supports homeowners and landlords to cover some or all of the cost of installing cavity wall insulation and loft insulation.


• Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) – The obligation requires large energy companies to help provide energy efficiency upgrades to low-income households, such as improving insulation and heating.


• Warm Homes: Local Grant – If your tenant is on a low income, receiving certain benefits or living in a specific postcode, they may be able to get their local council to conduct improvement work to boost the energy efficiency of the property. Depending on the circumstances, you might be asked to contribute towards the costs as the landlord.

What finance solutions are available to help make the improvements?

With the government estimating that it will cost an average of between £6,100 and £6,800 per property to meet the required standard, many portfolio landlords will need the support of experienced brokers and lenders to access the funding needed to upgrade their properties in time.

At Together, we’ve got a range of short term and long term finance solutions that you can use to make the refurbishments and pay back over a time frame that suits you. These include:

• Bridging loans
• Second charge loans
• Buy to Let mortgages

As a specialist lender, our common-sense approach allows us to be flexible and fast when making decisions, helping landlords in scenarios where other lenders can’t. Get in touch with our expert team to see how we can help you beat the EPC deadline.