The Mortgage Works is offering landlords free property assessments to help them meet new energy efficiency standards.

Nationwide’s buy-to-let arm has launched the support package to help landlords reach the minimum EPC C rating required for rented homes by 2030.

The moves comes after its research revealed that 67% of landlords were unaware of the upcoming EPC C requirement, while 73% did not know when the regulations come into force.

We know many landlords are still grappling with the upcoming Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards.”

Dan Clinton (pictured), Head of Buy to Let at The Mortgage Works, said: “We know many landlords are still grappling with the upcoming Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards.”

He adds: “Improving energy efficiency isn’t just about meeting future standards, it can also enhance property values, boost rental yields and create more comfortable homes with lower energy bills for tenants.”

The Mortgage Works’ research also found that 63% of landlords are unsure how much it will cost to bring their properties up to an EPC C rating, and that more than half would value guidance on financing improvements.

Of those who had considered improvement costs, 21% estimate spending up to £6,632 on average to bring properties up to standard, depending on the property’s current value.

Property assessments

To help landlords understand what the upgrade work involves, The Mortgage Works is piloting 1,000 free property assessments with retrofit specialist Eco Approach.

It will identify how far properties are from an EPC C rating, recommend improvements, estimate costs and highlight available grants or exemptions.

To cover the cost of that work, the lender will offer loans at around two percentage points below standard further advance rates through its Energy Efficiency Further Advance products.