Some 47 per cent of landlords incorrectly believe the need for EPC C rating is only guidance, not the law.
That’s the claim from the Mortgage Advice Bureau which adds that a fifth of landlords say they weren’t previously aware of the EPC changes coming in 2025.
Only a third of landlords had received guidance about what changes needed to be made from the government, the MAB adds.
Landlords are being blocked from renting out properties they own and may face hefty fines unless they retrofit and upgrade them to an EPC rating of C by 2028, in line with the government race to net zero.
Following a consultation in 2021, the government issued a deadline of 2025 for newly rented properties and 2028 for all other properties to get to a minimum EPC rating of C.
However, reports recently suggest this deadline could be pushed back to 2028 for all rentals. According to research undertaken by Mortgage Advice Bureau, there is confusion about what the rules actually mean.
While 86 per cent of landlords know what their EPC rating is, nearly half said that they believed that the regulations around EPC ratings were ‘guidance’ and not the law.
Only 35 per cent knew it was the law, and nearly a fifth weren’t aware of the changes at all.
Of the ones who did know they needed to make changes (whether it was law or guidance), 34 per cent had heard about this via the Government themselves. However, a further third had only heard about the EPC rules through the media, and 30 per cent through their friends and family.
Almost a quarter were made aware of the changes needed to be made from their tenants themselves.
The main concerns of landlords around upgrading their properties by the 2028 deadline are the costs of making all the necessary upgrades and finding a trusted tradesperson.
The research shows that those who only let one property are more unaware of the changes than those who’ve got two or more properties. Over a quarter of landlords with a single property did not know about the upgrades that needed to be made, compared to landlords with over six properties, who were all aware of the changes.
Ben Thompson, deputy CEO of Mortgage Advice Bureau, says: “Landlords were facing a race against time to retrofit their properties and meet incoming EPC legislation.
“As well as cost of living pressures and higher interest rates working against landlords meeting the initial 2025 deadline, they were also clearly in the dark about the changes that they needed to make. While delaying the cut-off date before the law comes into place is clearly a sensible move, unless there is clear help unveiled to support with the cost of retrofitting, they could find themselves up against the deadline again in a few years’ time.
“An extension would also, sadly, mean that tenants will continue to struggle with higher energy bills, so it’s vital that the deadlines are not seen to be easily moved. Sooner or later, the inconvenient truth is that the retrofitting of properties that are sub-C (whether rented or owner-occupied) will most definitely need to be done.”
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Eh? I thought it wasn't law yet?
I'm with you on this Chris. I know the can has been provisionally kicked down the road to 2028 but I'm not aware of it being passed into law yet
At the beginning of the article it says it is law now. Then near the end it says 'While delaying the cut-off date before the law comes into place is clearly a sensible move'
So the article is contradicting itself.
I find it very hard to believe there are that many landlords who are unaware of the whole EPC thing. If it's true it makes me wonder what else they are unaware of. The requirements for annual gas safety checks, carbon monoxide detectors, deposit protection, repairs and maintenance perhaps?
Jo, a lot of people believe the government is sensible and doing the right thing.
So an article is published saying we are not aware it’s the law….. 👮🏻♀️ When it’s NOT yet law 🤠🤠. This is beyond funny 🤡
Why is this organisation redistributing articles that are clearly untrue. This is NOT law and and showing this article does not help anyone and in fact makes me want to unsubscribe from this if all they are endeavouring to do is create click bait.
I'm with you here. Massively put off by Landlird Today now.
Seems like the Mortgage Advice Bureau is massively ill-informed about EPCs too - and landlordzone is proliferating that error!
They believe the climate change hype and not seeing it for the hoax that it is. Likely there’s profit in it for them somewhere.
this is a dreadful article, factually incorrect! the requirement for EPC C is not law. The government are talking about brining it in and changing the date. They are also talking about changing the algorithm. Landlords are not in a race against time. At this point we haven't got a clue what the Government want and why would we waste money when the Government haven't made it clear Landlord Today you should be ashamed of printing such disinformation!
In reality none of us know what our EPC would be if it was reassessed tomorrow so none of us know what upgrades (if any) would be required.
I have several houses that have varied by up to 19 points in either direction depending on who is doing the assessment.
Ground floor flat in need of renovation: Estate agents assessor F25, experienced independent assessor G14.
Large HMO: Independent assessor D57, insulation grant company assessor E47.
Ex Council maisonette: Independent assessor E48, a different independent assessor D67.
In all those examples nothing had changed between those EPC assessments. It was purely down to the different interpretation by the different assessors.
Hi Jo, I have followed your comments for a while and would love to have a chat outside of this forum. You can find me on LinkedIn. Thanks
Remove this article. EPC C is NOT law, and this will only add more confusion. How this was written by an 'award-winning journalist', let alone published, is astounding.
I’ve contacted the mortgage advice bureau to suggest that Ben Thompson retracts this incorrect information
I’m sure the EPC rules themselves will be changed before 2025 or 2028 to include heating systems like ASHP and GSHP. Hydrogen ready boilers should also play a part in calculating the rating. The EPC process is currently falling is so many area’s as the calculation is based on square meterage rather than actual energy consumption. An overhaul is well overdue before law changes for landlords are implemented.
It's not law yet and the key point that has been missed is the fact the EPC rating system is at odds against the carbon emissions target. Until both are aligned I won't be wasting money on I'll thought out Government plans!
Yes... Landlords are massively misinformed when false information like this is being spewed out!! Get a grip Landlord today! It seems like you'll put anything on here to fill a space.
Amongst the misinformation is that 25% of tenants have raised this with Landlords.
I have NEVER had any tenant show ANY interest in EPC or even in energy costs as, when we all had the opportunity to save money by fixing our energy costs, many tenants voluntarily opted to pay the higher standard tariffs.
Unfortunately those of us who took the time and effort to minimise our energy costs are no longer allowed to be subsidised by the feckless and indolent who routinely enjoy being subsidised by the enterprising and hard working.
I think there’s no such thing as landlords not knowing if they are in this business.
This is a big quick response it certainly ruffled a few feathers.
A-shame the bigger picture was missed getting rid of S.21 and many more LL’s would still be in Business, not destabilising housing & renting.
M.A.B passed off cost of living too lightly and not just interest rates, some £400. pm gas & electric, C/tax hike to keep Mr Khan, Tenancy Changes referencing, Share codes + a further load of administration.
Licensing up grades often costing more than the Insulation that all the noise is about + £1500. App’ fee approx for a Meta Computer exercise.
The price of a Skip and license hiked, Materials taken a hike,
Trades people not immune to their living costs either as you’ll find out when you need them.
So it’s not just our houses we have to cost of up grading but also our cars and vans or pay £12.50 every day to turn the key, we are some honey 🍯.
Silly me I could hire a lime bike go joy riding and get myself killed.
The long and the short of it all is, they want us out for the big boy’s to take over.
How much evidence is
Needed just look around you thousands of New build Flats to Rent in every City those people were never involved in Housing or Renting before.
Everywhere I see them sprouting up this is no accident but decided in high places at the very top Level.
Regulation’s is just a convenient way of making it happen while filling their pockets at the same time, they need out Tenants but use us to get their rents up for big boys to take over.
Even Tesco’s in Greenford part of the Supermarket ground, high rise well on the way and displaying 278 Flats to Rent, Sainsbury's Alperton, looking for planning to demolish and re-build with multi-storey Flats on top, same goes for Waitrose / John Lewis West Ealing as Lidl & M &S, Barclay, Lloyds + many more. Also a huge number of Offices Converted / poorly Converted even a well known building a massive number flats with 3 added stories just look at one now to let with EPC ‘D’ some farce what can you do with it now, never was any of those previously Companies involved in the letting Business.
Sorry Jo, I was not reporting you don’t know how the Red Report got there I actually gave you a thumbs up.
My houses i let out are not a business,i have been told this by the government many times,its an investment according to the hmrc.its just a hobby according to the powers that be.so i will carry on treating it like a hobby.since the advent of epc not one of my tennants have mentioned EPC of any if the 10 properties in 25years.They wouldnt know what it was even if i explained it to them or stuck it to their forehead,what will they save anyway,all it means is ill slap the cost on their rent.
I have sold one property last year,the one i got first in 98 and am know spending the well earned money,the rent i am not receiving on that house i have added to the other 9 houses divided equally and thats what i am going to do this year . So much for tennants saving money.its a great hobby
.
99.9 % of epc's are inaccurate
Surely it's 99.99%?
All the mixed messages, lack of clarification and confusion just adds to the uncertainty and ultimately loss of confidence. £10k cap for a London property as a % is a different proposition compared with a property in the North East.
Personally I will just sell up my C's. Not playing chase the government goal posts.
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