Energy efficiency for landlords
Updating the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard from 2030
Last year, the Government consulted on increasing the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) in the private rented sector.
The original proposals included a 2028 compliance date for new tenancies and a minimum EPC C standard for rented properties, with landlords expected to spend up to £15,000 to reach it.
At the time, the NRLA raised a number of concerns about the short timeframe for compliance, the high-cost cap and the need to support the owners of lower-value homes in making the transition to Net Zero.
The Government has now published its response to this consultation and made a number of important changes to the way Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards will work in the future. You can find more about the Government's response to the consultation and the impact of our campaign here.
About the Campaign
The NRLA has campaigned for a fair and practical approach to implementing the new Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES). While recognising the importance of improving energy efficiency in the private rented sector (PRS), we highlighted concerns about the Government’s proposed approach, including timelines, funding, costs, and clarity for landlords. The NRLA specifically raised the following issues:
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A realistic transition period: We highlighted that the proposed implementation timetable was not deliverable in practice. With secondary legislation expected only in late 2026, landlords could have had less than 18 months to assess properties, secure funding, carry out upgrades and obtain a new EPC. We made clear that this timeframe was unrealistic, particularly given the scale of works required and the proposed £15,000 cost cap. The NRLA argued for a longer, more workable transition period to avoid unnecessary disruption to landlords’ businesses and to tenants.
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Clarity on standards and requirements: We consistently stressed that landlords needed early and clear guidance on the standards they would be expected to meet. We raised concerns that delaying clarity until 2026 would have created uncertainty, increased the risk of non-compliance, and undermined investment decisions. The NRLA called for a streamlined, transparent framework that would allow landlords to plan upgrades and work towards EPC C with confidence.
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Access to funding: We highlighted that the financial burden of meeting higher standards would fall unevenly, particularly in areas with lower property values. The NRLA therefore campaigned for clear, accessible funding mechanisms to support landlords with upgrade costs. This included calling for grant funding, tax incentives and other forms of financial assistance to ensure the policy was deliverable in practice.
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Cost cap concerns: In response to the Government’s proposal of a £15,000 cost cap, alongside a suggested affordability-based cap of £10,000, we warned that these figures remained too high. We emphasised that the proposed caps would be particularly challenging for landlords with multiple properties and advocated a lower, more realistic cap that better reflects the financial pressures across the sector.
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Exemptions: We also continued to campaign for the retention and strengthening of existing exemptions. We made clear that fair and workable opt-outs were essential where compliance would be unreasonably expensive, technically impractical, or where landlords were unable to secure the necessary consent from tenants or freeholders.
Our Impact
The NRLA is engaging with the Government to ensure a sustained programme of support is provided to landlords, to facilitate energy efficiency improvements to dwellings.
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We are working with the UK Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) and the Welsh Government on energy efficiency and carbon reduction policy, legislation and initiatives.
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We have been actively responding to the Government’s consultations to help ensure that their policies are not overly burdensome for landlords. Additionally, we have worked to maintain MEES exemptions and to ensure they remain robust, providing landlords with a fair and reasonable set of exemptions.
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In 2021, we commissioned research to define the scale of the challenge of decarbonising homes in areas with low property values, its potential impact on the private rented sector, and recommendations for policy changes to address this challenge
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To help landlords cover the costs associated with making energy efficiency improvements across the country, we proposed an innovative funding and financial package
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We have worked in partnership with the Tenancy Deposit Scheme to conducted research among their registered landlords to better understand landlords recent and future energy efficiency investment in their property portfolios
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To drive forward energy efficiency in the PRS, we submitted a paper to the Government on the learnings from the scrapping of the Green Homes Grant Scheme and made recommendations for future schemes.
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We have been actively campaigning for more accessible grant funding support that is both easy to apply for and straightforward to qualify for. This has seen some success, with the Government announcing the Warm Homes: Local Grant. In addition, the Government has proposed simplifying the certification schemes for tradespeople, which will help make these grants more widely accessible.