The requirement for private rented properties to have an EPC rating of at least C from 2025/26 onwards appears to now be changing significantly the purchasing behaviour of buy to let landlords. The share of new rental property purchased that is already at the minimum C level has hit 50% according to new research by Hamptons (part of the Countrywide group). This is up from under 30% in 2012 and 33% in 2020.

Landlords are buying properties with upgrades already done or that were built relatively recently so have a good EPC rating from scratch. Hamptons calculate that a tenant moving from a home rated E to one rated C will save £725 annually on energy costs. It will be illegal to rent out a home that is rated at E or F.