The Committee on Fuel Poverty has recommended that private landlords receive targeted support from the Government’s £5 billion Warm Homes Fund to help meet proposed Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) requirements for privately rented properties.
The committee stated that lower-income landlords should be prioritised, as many may struggle to fund the energy-efficiency improvements needed to bring properties up to the proposed standard. Under current regulations, all privately rented homes will need to achieve an EPC rating of C by 2030.
Warm Homes Fund allocation
In its response to a Government consultation on the Warm Homes Fund, the committee stated: “The Warm Homes Fund could have an important role to play in the private rented sector.”
The committee added: “If it is targeted in the right way, then the Fund could support landlords in achieving Social Rented Sector and Private Rented Sector Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards. Targeting lower-income landlords will enable retrofit work to be completed that may not otherwise have been possible.”
The committee is calling for support to engage landlords and develop specific incentives for the sector, arguing that resources must be properly targeted to benefit fuel-poor tenants.
Industry response
The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) has welcomed the recommendations and submitted its own proposals for how the fund should operate. The NRLA suggests the fund should encourage lenders to develop products created specifically for properties with lower EPC ratings and enable finance models that combine private investment with grants and tax incentives.
The association argues that support should reflect the different circumstances of small and large landlords, as well as leaseholders in multi-occupancy buildings. The recommendations come as the rental sector faces broader regulatory changes, including recent developments in eviction procedures.
The NRLA warned that “without a tailored approach” there is a risk support will fail to reach many of the properties needing upgrades, which could have “a devastating impact on the supply of homes to let”. The concerns reflect broader challenges facing landlords, including ongoing regulatory reforms in the sector.
The Government has not yet announced how the £5 billion fund will be allocated or whether specific provisions will be made for private landlords.
