More certainty is needed over new Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) regulations, according to Fisher German.

The property consultancy has said that the government needs to act now if it plans to reform EPC regulations and provide the sector with more certainty about how and when this will happen.

This comes after housing secretary Michael Gove recently suggested that the government should relax the timescale for the new EPC regulations, claiming that they are putting unrealistic pressures on landlords.

The government has since announced that the EPCs need ‘fundamental reform’ which may mean that the pressure is being taken off private landlords after realising that meeting the guidelines on some properties would be ‘physically impossible’.

Fisher German partner Neil Hogbin, of the firm’s property management team, has said that landlords, particularly those of older period properties, may need to spend thousands of pounds on their property portfolios to meet the energy efficiency targets, so need certainty around any potential reforms.

He commented: “We are already beginning to see a shortage of rental properties in the marketplace as landlords start to sell up.

“Combined with the increase in energy prices because of the war in Ukraine, there is a further threat that rents will continue to rise to cover some of the costs of the EPC improvements being forced upon private landlords as they scramble to meet the new energy efficiency targets being set.

“Decent homes in the private rented sector will no longer be affordable to many.

“We all want to see properties as energy efficient as possible, but the sector needs certainty about how and when this will happen.

“Landlords are looking for a financial package to support improvements in the private rented sector but, it is all still very unclear.  Meanwhile, the owner-occupied housing sector has no minimum energy efficiency requirements at all.

“Many of the EPC changes are simply not practical, affordable, or wanted by many tenants – particularly those in period properties.

“It is seen as unfair that the private sector landlords, many of whom provide high-quality well-managed homes, should have to deliver on EPC targets ahead of other housing market sectors.

“They are already taking steps to be more environmentally conscious with low-carbon heating systems, and well-insulated homes where sensible and cost-effective to do so and shouldn’t need to be regulated to deliver on this.”

Research from Rightmove has revealed how landlords are now investing in properties with an EPC rating of C or above to meet these impending new Government rules and are actively avoiding lower EPC-rated homes.

The survey also showed that 80% of landlords are aware of proposed changes to EPC legislation, compared to 65% last year.

The government has revealed that the likely cost of EPC upgrades for rental properties could be between £5,000 and £15,000 depending on the property, with only a third being improved for under £5,000. Older, period property will likely need far greater expenditure than more modern housing stock.

Hogbin added: “Smaller landlords with just a handful of properties may sell up, but those with bigger portfolios need to plan for future expenditure on the necessary improvements to increase the EPC rating of their lower-rated homes and certainty is needed on this now.

“They now need to review their portfolios to help preserve their assets in the long-term.”