Ed Miliband, the UK’s Energy Secretary, has pledged to enforce a ban on landlords renting out properties that do not meet specific energy efficiency standards, as outlined during the Labour Party conference in Liverpool. His plan involves requiring landlords to ensure their properties achieve an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of C or higher by 2030, potentially costing up to £10,000 per property for necessary upgrades such as heat pumps or solar panels.

Miliband emphasized that improving energy efficiency would lift one million families out of fuel poverty and help address the issue of poor living conditions in rental homes. He framed it as a move to tackle the “Tory legacy” of substandard housing.

However, these measures have triggered concerns about the impact on landlords, many of whom have already been grappling with tightening regulations and rising costs, such as the loss of tax breaks and higher mortgage rates. Some landlords may leave the market, further reducing rental housing supply and potentially pushing rents higher.

Critics warn that the required improvements will particularly challenge older properties, with many rental homes built before 1919. The National Residential Landlords Association has called for financial support for landlords to meet these new standards, such as tax incentives or government funding, noting that other housing sectors receive more support for energy efficiency upgrades.

The Labour Party’s proposal follows similar energy efficiency goals initially considered by the Conservative government but later dropped. Britain also faces a significant shortage of tradespeople needed to carry out the retrofitting work required to meet the net zero targets for homes, potentially complicating the plan’s implementation further.