Data from property management company Rushbrook & Rathbone shows that landlords with smaller properties are likely to meet the government’s EPC target already, whilst some landlords with larger buildings are struggling to make their buildings more energy-efficient.

The government has set a target of October 2030 for all privately rented homes to have a minimum EPC rating of C. Property management company Rushbrook & Rathbone has found that smaller houses with two or three habitable rooms already have an average EPC score of 70.2, which is well within the government EPC target. Flats have even higher scores, with an average EPC rating of 72.8.

There has been concern about the high costs of upgrading rented properties to the required EPC C standard. The data suggests that many landlords have already been investing in improving the energy efficiency of their properties. Heating systems, insulation, glazing and lighting have all been improved to raise energy efficiency.

Large homes, particularly those with more than nine habitable rooms, have an average EPC score of 63.0, which puts them in the D range, below the C target. Upgrading these properties is a challenge and can be very costly. Landlords will also need to hire a local EPC assessor to confirm that the property has reached the C target,

Roma Sharma, managing director of Rushbrook & Rathbone, commented that energy rating compliance is rarely a one-off process, but involves regular maintenance, proactive management and ongoing investment to maintain a property’s energy rating.