Drop the plans to raise the legal EPC on rental properties

The Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy is considering raising the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards for all rental properties from E to C which whilst it appears to be a sound course of action is actually far more problematic than they realise.

This will cause a trauma for tenants as not only do they stand to see their rents put up, but also such invasive works which often will not be compatible with living in those homes as the improvements take place especially insulating floors and the insides of walls. The proposed legislation is to raise this compulsory EPC rating from E to C for new tenancies in 2025 and from 2028 even renewing or extending existing tenancies and It is totally unacceptable for a tenant to have to go through this because the landlord is given no legal choice other than to make these improvements.  Some landlords will decide to sell the affected properties and evict the tenants who will not be at fault which is also unfair and unacceptable.

Also, dictating that landlords make these improvements will cause many to make ill-informed choices: anything from badly installed solar panels which may bare a fire hazard if not done properly to insulation materials which could turn out to be unsafe and remember What happened at Grenfell Tower was a result of external cladding which turned out to be inflammable and other examples of ill-informed choices for insulation include Asbestos.  Many houses have also been experiencing damp caused by badly applied wall insulation and this proposal to raise the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards would cause many landlords to make such mistakes as a result of acting in a hurry.

Landlords are well aware that improving the EPC does increase rental value and are therefore very much interested in these measures, but forcing them to act in this manner will cause many to make the wrong moves with potentially disastrous consequences. And we must remember that contrary to popular opinion, most landlords are not millionaires and some are actually low earners - some are in financial trouble and are renting out their homes while living with relatives due to financial difficulties, not only are some having to be away from home long term and are therefore doing the right thing and renting them out as opposed to keeping them empty, and some have inherited a property and are renting it out pending decision as to who should live there or when, and some have moved in with a partner and rent out their existing homes.

And we are all committed to the aim of cutting our greenhouse gas emissions and we do care about the environment, but we object raising the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards.  Some properties do not even have the potential for the EPC to be increased to the proposed standard and this is also not fair for anyone owning or living in such homes and we have seen no evidence to show that the Department are taking this into consideration.

Millions of voters are tenants who do not want to see their rents go up or have to endure invasive works taking place in their homes whilst they are living there not only are there millions of landlords and none of these people would vote for a government who would put them all through this based on mere ideas. Incentives work far better than coercion. And as proven from introducing a minimum EPC of E in 2018 and now planning to raise it shows that if the Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy get away with this they will undoubtedly be coming up with further.  Honestly, please abandon the proposal to raise the legal minimum EPC rating on rental properties.