Generation Rent has launched a campaign calling for limits on rent increases following energy efficiency improvements, arguing that landlords should not be allowed to pass retrofit costs on to tenants.
The “Raising standards, not rents” campaign, funded by the European Climate Foundation, urges the government to impose stricter penalties on landlords who fail to meet new minimum energy efficiency standards and to allow tenants to claim Rent Repayment Orders when landlords do not comply with the EPC C requirement from 2030.
What the campaign demands
Ben Twomey, chief executive of Generation Rent, said: “Getting this policy right will be crucial. Many powerful forces have criticised the push towards net zero in recent years, claiming it will cost those who can least afford to pay, while landlord lobbyists have long claimed that they will have no choice but to hike rents after retrofit work.”
In its report, the tenant advocacy group argues that landlords “have consistently shown that they will not make energy efficiency improvements unless forced to do so.”
It adds: “It is clear that the primary reason most landlords claim to need to raise the rent is because they are able to charge more on the local market and not because they have a financial need to do so.”
Timing and context
The campaign comes as the government has delayed EPC reform until late 2027, leaving landlords uncertain about future requirements. This follows Landlord Knowledge’s reporting on the challenges facing those planning property upgrades.
Landlord groups have repeatedly warned that the cost of meeting EPC C standards – estimated at up to £26bn across the sector – will inevitably feed through to rents unless the government provides financial support for upgrades.
The European Climate Foundation, which funds the Generation Rent campaign, is a Brussels-based organisation supporting climate policy initiatives across Europe.
What this means for landlords
- If you are planning EPC improvements: Watch for any government response to this campaign – future policy could restrict how quickly you can recover retrofit costs through rent adjustments.
- Watch for: The 2030 Warm Homes deadline and whether Rent Repayment Orders are extended to cover EPC non-compliance as Generation Rent demands.
- Bottom line: Tenant advocacy groups are seeking to limit landlords’ ability to recoup upgrade costs through higher rents – a position likely to intensify as the EPC C deadline approaches.
Editor’s view
The campaign raises uncomfortable questions for landlords about how retrofit costs will be absorbed. But the argument that landlords charge “what the market allows” rather than what their costs require overlooks the reality that many are already operating on tight margins. Without government grants, someone has to pay – and restricting rent adjustments will simply accelerate the exit of smaller landlords from the sector.
Author: Editorial Team – UK landlord & buy-to-let news, policy, and finance
Published: 19 March 2026
Sources: Generation Rent, European Climate Foundation
Related reading: EPC reform delayed to late 2027 as landlords face investment limbo
