A new report from Rightmove has revealed the scale of the challenge in improving the energy efficiency of homes across Great Britain.

A combination of Rightmove’s whole-of-market data and government data estimates that 2.9m properties need to be improved to reach an EPC C rating, at a cost of £23.4bn – around £8,074 per property for a landlord.

The government’s proposed minimum EPC requirement for all rental properties by 2030 is now back on the table after a similar proposal was scrapped by the previous government. However, Rightmove says that without financial help to accelerate the upgrades, the move could reduce the availability of rental properties in the market if some landlords choose to sell up rather than make the changes.

The latest data from Rightmove reveals that the proportion of former rental properties moving into the sales market is already at its highest point on record, suggesting more landlords are selling up. 18% of properties for sale in August were previously on the rental market, compared with 8% in 2010.

Rightmove also surveyed over 14,000 homeowners and renters, along with over 1,000 landlords for the report. The survey found that while half (50%) of landlords are concerned that the government will introduce costly charges for not meeting EPC requirements, one in five (19%) renters think stricter energy efficiency regulations should be the top priority for the new government.