EPC targets for landlords could be part of the reason rents are rising, the government has admitted.
Green Party MP Hannah Spencer tabled a written parliamentary question on the issue earlier this month.
The question was: “To ask the State Secretary about it Energy Security and Net Zero, what assessment he has made of the potential impact of new Minimum energy efficiency standards (MEES) in the private rental sector on private rental inflation.”
The question related to that of the government Warm Houses planwhereby all private rental properties must have an EPC level of C by 2030.
In response, Martin McCluskey, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, said: “Rental prices are not determined by any single factor, and as set out in the final impact assessment, wider market factors in addition to these regulations could impact the rental prices of properties, whether or not they require upgrades under the MEES regulations.
“The government’s priority is to give landlords the regulatory certainty and advice they need to plan efficiency upgrades in the coming years, in consultation with tenants. More broadly, we are committed to protecting the rights of tenants by giving them the right to challenge unreasonable rent increases under the Renters’ Rights Act 2025.”