Labour has resuscitated the Conservatives’ policy of banning landlords from letting out properties unless they meet EPC ‘C’ rating, from 2030.
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband made the announcement at the Labour Party conference in Livepool, promising that “every rented home reaches decent standards of energy efficiency” by 2030, achieving an energy performance certificate rating of C or above.
A consultation is expected later this year, which is expected to include a cap on the amount landlords will have to spend on upgrades. This was set at £10,000 under previous plans and Miliband is expected to stick with a similar figure.
The Conservatives originally planned to reach the deadline by 2028, but the former prime minister Rishi Sunak backtracked as part of his relaxation of net zero goals last autumn.
Miliband has promised help with insulation and other energy upgrades as part of his scaled-back green energy investment plan. But according to The Times “Labour sources say they are willing to risk a battle with landlords to reach their green goals.”
Miliband told the conference: “We all know that the poorest people in our country often live in cold, draughty homes. It is a Tory outrage. This government will not tolerate this injustice and we will end it.
“Because being Labour means we raise our sights to tackle injustice, we will go further and faster than promised in our manifesto: ensuring every rented home reaches decent standards of energy efficiency.”
He continued: “Warmer homes, lower bills, over one million people lifted out of fuel poverty. That’s the difference a Labour government makes.”
About 2.9m privately rented homes are thought to have energy efficiency ratings below grade C. Although upgrades have been made in recent years, about half the energy assessments carried out on rented properties last year fell short of the new standard.
