There is widespread confusion over energy efficiency rules planned for the private rented sector, according to Mortgage Advice Bureau.

Following a consultation in 2021, the Government issued a deadline of 2025 for newly rented properties and 2028 for all other properties to get to a minimum EPC rating of C. However, reports recently suggest this deadline could be pushed back to 2028 for all rentals.

However, Mortgage Advice Bureau research found that while the majority of landlords (86%) know what their EPC rating is, nearly half (47%) said they believed that the plans around EPC rating were ‘guidance’ and not regulatory. What’s more, 18% weren’t aware of the plans at all.

Among the landlords who knew of the plans, over a third (34%) had heard about them via the government, while slightly fewer were informed through the media (32%) and family and friends (30%).

The main concerns of landlords around upgrading their properties by the 2028 deadline are the costs of making all the necessary upgrades (27%) and finding a trusted tradesperson (27%). A further 23% were worried about the disruption it may cause tenants when they make the upgrades, as well as the time it may take (also 23%).