Private landlords should receive targeted support from the Government’s £5billion Warm Homes Fund to help meet proposed EPC requirements for privately rented homes, according to the Committee on Fuel Poverty.

It says 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.

All privately rented homes will need to achieve an EPC rating of C by 2030.

Warm Homes Fund

Responding to a Government consultation on the Warm Homes Fund, the committee says: “The Warm Homes Fund could have an important role to play in the private rented sector.”

It adds: “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.”

“Targeting lower-income landlords will enable retrofit work to be completed that may not otherwise have been possible.”

The committee is also calling for support to engage landlords and develop specific incentives for the sector, arguing that resources must be properly targeted if they are to benefit fuel-poor tenants.

Its recommendations have been welcomed by the National Residential Landlords Association, which has submitted its own proposals for how the fund should operate.

Incentives

The NRLA says 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.

It also argues that support should reflect the different circumstances of small and large landlords, as well as leaseholders in multi-occupancy buildings.

It warns, however, 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”.