Nearly a third of UK landlords want government support to improve the EPC rating of their rental properties to C or better by 2030.
This comes as new research from Shawbrook has found that 29% of landlords say the targets set by the New Labor government cannot be achieved without government support. 
The cost of refurbishment is a key concern, with a further 16% saying they would struggle to pay for it and a quarter (25%) saying they plan to sell a property that needs refurbishment. did.
However, some landlords have already started investing in properties before the new regulations are introduced.
More than a fifth (21%) of landlords said they had made changes to their properties to raise their EPC rating to C, before the government scrapped the target last year, Mr Shawbrook said. , reintroduced by the Labor government)).
Tenant demand for energy-efficient properties could rise again as the UK faces a winter of rising energy costs. However, material and labor costs have increased over the past two years, making these improvements more costly for homeowners without additional assistance.
Emma Cox, managing director of Shawbrook Estate, commented: 2022 saw many businesses taking steps to do so, both in response to demand from tenants and targets from the government at the time.
“However, as these goals began to be called into question at a time when significant economic headwinds were blowing, many chose to postpone costly renovation projects. Landlords now need to play catch-up.”
Furthermore, she added: “It is encouraging to see the Government provide greater clarity for landlords to plan for 2030, but with just over five years left to comply, landlords will need support to get there. It's clear that we need it, from government and industry.”
