Landlords could leave the private rented sector if the government fails to provide financial support and practical exemptions to meet EPC C targets by 2030, Propertymark has warned. The industry body made the warning in its formal response to the government’s consultation on EPC reforms and the proposed Home Energy Model.
Home Energy Model introduces four new metrics
The government’s proposed reforms would replace the current single cost metric for EPCs with four new headline measures: energy cost, fabric performance, heating system, and smart readiness. The Warm Homes Plan, published in recent months, confirmed that private rented properties in England and Wales must achieve EPC C by 2030.
Propertymark argues that EPC reform must not be viewed in isolation from minimum standards policy. “The sector needs long-term certainty on both aspects to comply effectively,” the body stated in its consultation response. “We have consistently warned that overly ambitious or poorly designed targets could reduce the supply of rented homes, particularly where older or harder-to-treat properties are concerned.”
Older properties face practical constraints
The smart readiness metric, which scores a property’s ability to generate its own electricity, typically requires solar panels and a smart meter to achieve a C rating. The heating system metric may prevent properties heated by gas boilers from achieving a C grade, while electric heat pumps would automatically meet the standard.
Propertymark highlighted that many properties in the private rented sector – particularly older, heritage, terraced housing or flats – face practical constraints in installing technologies such as solar panels, batteries, or EV charge points. “In these cases, the metric should be applied flexibly, and exemptions or alternative scoring pathways should be available, so that landlords and tenants are not unfairly penalised,” the body said.
Funding and exemptions needed
The industry body is calling for sustained funding and practical exemptions to support landlords in meeting the 2030 deadline. Propertymark argues that the government should target funding based on property archetypes rather than tenure alone, recognising differences in property age, type and construction.
“Without proper support, landlords may exit the market rather than invest,” the consultation response warned. This echoes earlier concerns about the potential impact of stricter energy efficiency rules on rental supply.
The response also calls for clear guidance on how technologies will be scored under the new metrics, ensuring the system is “practical and understandable” for property agents and landlords. Propertymark supports the principle of recognising energy technologies but emphasises the need for a proportionate approach that reflects the constraints of the existing buy-to-let housing stock.
The consultation on the Home Energy Model closed in late January 2026. The government is expected to publish its response in the coming months, alongside details of how the new metrics will interact with minimum energy efficiency standards.
Editor’s view
Propertymark’s warning is well-founded. Many landlords with Victorian terraces or purpose-built flats face genuine barriers to meeting stricter EPC rules – barriers that no amount of willingness can overcome without significant funding. If the government wants to retain rental supply, it must match ambition with practical support.
Author: Editorial Team – UK landlord & buy-to-let news, policy, and finance
Published: 20 February 2026
Sources: Propertymark
Related reading: New EPC metrics could force landlords to install heat pumps
