Various incentives and support are proposed
Skipton Group has urged the Labour government to introduce measures in the upcoming autumn budget to support landlords in achieving the required energy performance certificate (EPC) rating for their properties by 2030.
Charlotte Harrison (pictured), chief executive of home financing at Skipton Group, emphasised the vital role landlords play in the UK housing market. She noted that landlords face considerable challenges in making their properties more energy efficient, including issues related to awareness, costs, and access to guidance and skilled workers.
A survey conducted by Skipton Building Society found that one-third of landlords are unaware of their properties’ current EPC ratings, 46% plan to use personal savings for necessary improvements, and 39% may consider selling their properties.
Recent data from Hamptons, also part of the Skipton Group, revealed that it could take landlords up to 18 years to meet the EPC standards. The report indicated that the number of homes requiring energy upgrades in the next five years is equivalent to the number that have made improvements in the last 30 years.
“Landlords are crucial to the UK’s housing provision, but they face significant hurdles in improving the energy efficiency of their properties,” Harrison said. “The government needs to consider incentives and support in future budgets to help landlords meet these new targets. Doing so is essential not only for meeting the country’s net zero goals but also for addressing the ongoing cost-of-living, energy, and climate crises.”
Harrison suggested potential government support could include making energy improvement costs tax-deductible, offering grants, or matching spending on energy upgrades pound for pound. She pointed out that while homeowners and social tenants have benefited from incentives to green their homes, landlords have been largely overlooked.
The call from Skipton Group comes as the government confirms the 2030 deadline for landlords to achieve an EPC rating of Band C, a target set to aid in the country’s broader efforts to reduce carbon emissions.
As part of its commitment to enhancing the energy efficiency of UK homes, Skipton Group offers an EPC Plus service in partnership with Vibrant, another entity within the Skipton Group. This service provides landlords with tailored advice on how to improve their properties’ energy efficiency, including a detailed guide on achieving the necessary EPC rating, potential energy bill reductions for tenants, and information on available funding.
Skipton Group’s EPC Plus service is available to all of Skipton’s 1.26 million members, including those with buy-to-let mortgages. Landlords can receive up to 10 free EPC Plus assessments and reports for their property portfolios, regardless of whether they hold only one rental property mortgaged with Skipton.
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