CPS Homes

Sunak scraps Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) targets

In a speech made yesterday (20th September 2023) regarding green policies, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced the government will be scrapping EPC targets for homes.

The government had previously suggested that landlords would be required to upgrade their properties to EPC Band C by 2025 for new tenancies and by 2028 for all tenancies, though we forewarned landlords not to do anything yet, as the notion hadn't been confirmed.

The Prime Minister's shift in stance means that landlords will no longer be obligated to invest up to £10,000 in upgrades and there won't be penalties for those who don't reach the standards. Landlords and households will continue to be encouraged to pursue energy efficiency improvements voluntarily, but it won't be compulsory. Sunak said:

“This country is proud to be a world leader in reaching net zero by 2050, but we simply won’t achieve it unless we change. We’re now going to have a better, more honest debate about how we get there, a more pragmatic, proportionate and realistic approach, that eases the burdens on families.”

Households will also be granted additional time to transition to heat pumps or other low-carbon alternatives, as the plan now anticipates the phasing out of only 80% of gas boilers by 2035. This avoids the need for households to pay up to £15,000 on upgrades within the next three years.

"We will never force anyone to rip out their existing boiler and replace it with a heat pump. You’ll only ever have to make the switch when you’re replacing your boiler anyway – and even then, not until 2035."

Whilst this is good news for landlords for the moment, it wouldn't surprise us if the same proposals are soon back on the table. Climate change is a useful battleground for all political parties, especially in the lead-up to a General Election, so we can foresee Labour pledging to bring in the same or a similar minimum standard, and the Conservatives may even re-visit it themselves if they stay in power.

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21 September 2023

The information contained within this article was correct at the date of publishing and is not guaranteed to remain correct in the present day.

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