New energy efficiency regulations could create what one property expert is calling an “EPC time bomb” in the UK rental market.

Millions of privately rented homes in England currently have an EPC rating of D or below, meaning they would require improvements to meet a future EPC C standard, expected for 2030.

Government impact assessments estimate the average cost of upgrading a rental property to EPC C could be around £5,400, with a proposed spending cap of up to £10,000 per property.

Many landlords in the UK are small-scale investors who own just one or two rental properties, meaning compliance costs could significantly impact their finances.

Combined with higher mortgage rates, new licensing schemes, and increasing regulatory requirements, the cost of maintaining rental properties is continuing to rise.

For landlords with older housing stock, particularly Victorian and early 20th-century homes, the upgrades required to meet EPC targets could involve significant structural work. 

Improvements such as wall insulation, upgraded heating systems, double glazing, or renewable energy installations may all be needed to reach the required efficiency rating.

One property expert warns that the combination of regulatory pressure and upgrade costs could encourage some landlords to leave the market altogether, potentially reducing the supply of rental homes available to tenants.

Jason Harris-Cohen, Managing Director at LandlordBuyer, says: “We’re increasingly hearing from landlords who are concerned about how future EPC requirements will affect their properties. 

“For many owners, particularly those with older homes, the cost of reaching an EPC C rating can be substantial and may simply not be financially viable.”

A separate assessment by insurance provider Just Landlords reveals that 3.38m properties currently fall short of the proposed EPC targets.

Upgrade costs in some regions exceed the total annual rental income by almost 50%.

Under Energy Secretary Ed Miliband’s Warm Homes Plan, all tenancies are required to have a minimum EPC rating of C by October 2030. 

While the average cost to upgrade a non-compliant property stands at £7,633, the figures vary considerably, with rural and northern regions facing costs as high as £12,000.

Comparing the cost of green upgrades to the annual earning potential of a property, Just Landlords has calculated a ‘repair-to-rent ratio’, to see how long it will take landlords to fund essential retrofit works.

In Powys, where 83% of properties are currently non-compliant, the average bill to reach Band C is £10,759. 

With average annual rents in the area at just £7,248, landlords face an upgrade cost equivalent to 148% of their total annual income.