A recent study conducted on behalf of GetGround, a buy-to-let creation and management platform, has found that a high inflationary environment is triggering significant change in the way that landlords interact with their tenants, but less in the types of property they choose to invest in.

The firm surveyed hundreds of landlords across the UK during February 2022, revealing that a large proportion are looking to mitigate the impact of high inflation on their investments by committing to energy upgrades in their existing rental properties. 

New government rules state that by 2028 all rental property must have achieved an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of grade C or higher. Asked their view on these new regulations in the context of rising inflation, more than 4 in 5 (82%) respondents agreed that the rules will help reduce the impact of high energy costs on families who rent. 

With the annual cost of energy set to increase by an average £700 per household, the study also found that more than 2 in 3 landlords (69%) feel a responsibility to help their tenants mitigate the impact of the cost-of-living crisis on their lives, and over a third (34%) believe making energy efficiency upgrades to their properties, thereby helping reduce tenants’ energy spend, goes some way to providing that support.