A survey of private landlords, surveyors, developers and investors has called the government EPC target as being “impossible.”

The survey was only held with 21 sector professionals who were polled by a property consultancy and were virtually unanimous in decrying the government EPC target as ‘fantasy’.

Ed Miliband the new Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, announced in July that private landlords’ properties must reach the EPC standard C by 2030, which is the virtually the same as the previous government’s target which was discarded in the run up to the General Election.

A spokesman for the firm which was responsible for the survey, says: “This so-called ‘green’ initiative might look good on paper, but it’s built on shaky foundations.

“The focus on improving modern social housing, overlooks the vast majority of Britain’s private rental properties which are ageing and would require significant, costly upgrades to meet the EPC C standard.

“For many, achieving this rating is not just challenging; it’s nearly impossible without substantial financial investment.

“Previously, government subsidies helped with upgrades like heat pumps and insulation. Now, landlords have little choice but to sell or raise rents to cover these high costs.”

His firm says it has seen a massive surge in PRS landlords auctioning single homes up to large portfolios.

He adds: “The consequences for renters are clear. As landlords are forced out of the market, tenants will face fewer housing options and higher rental prices.

“Energy efficiency is certainly important, especially in light of rising energy costs. But what use is energy efficiency if people can’t afford a place to live? The Government needs to address the housing crisis before imposing such stringent requirements. As it stands, this policy risks doing more harm than good.”

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