Radical change from 2025 for EPC
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In a comprehensive critique of the government's proposals aimed at promoting energy efficiency across all properties, Propertymark expresses broad support for many measures introduced by the Labour administration. On their website, Propertymark raises concerns about the current Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs), highlighting a significant flaw: “EPCs consider energy costs when assessing a property's energy performance. If electricity prices exceed those of gas, transitioning from a gas boiler to a heat pump may lower an EPC score.” Furthermore, Propertymark points out that the existing single-metric approach—using Energy Efficiency Ratings (EER) for residential properties and Environmental Impact Ratings (EIR) for commercial properties—has considerable limitations. The group welcomed the government's move toward enhancing domestic EPCs by incorporating four key metrics:
- Fabric Performance: Assessing thermal efficiency.
- Heating System: Evaluating energy efficiency and environmental impact.
- Smart Readiness: Measuring the potential for integrating smart technology.
- Energy Cost: Offering financial insights into energy consumption.
Additional metrics like carbon emissions and overall energy usage would provide supplementary information. Propertymark states, “These changes are designed to offer a clearer, more user-friendly overview of energy performance, enabling homeowners, tenants, and buyers to make well-informed decisions.” The proposed reforms aim to shorten the validity period of EPCs from the current 10 years to between two and seven years. A critical change for homeowners will mandate that properties must possess a valid EPC before being listed for sale or rent, eliminating the existing 28-day grace period. For landlords, additional proposals include requiring new EPC assessments even during active tenancies when an existing certificate expires. The reforms would also extend EPC requirements to cover short-term rental properties and individual rooms within Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs). Propertymark emphasises that both agents and the public should start taking action now, despite awaiting final confirmation of these changes from the government. Propertymark is urging property owners and professionals in the sector to begin planning strategies for improving energy efficiency in anticipation of the upcoming changes. These adjustments promise benefits such as reduced energy bills, enhanced comfort levels within homes, and decreased environmental impact. The UK Government plans to introduce updated EPC metrics in the second half of 2026 alongside its Home Energy Model for residential properties—with consultations regarding this model scheduled for 2025.
Extract from:
https://allen-residential.co.uk/blogs/agents-slam-current-epcs-and-expects-radical-change-from-2025?utm=fc-bFMePh-6771f9f70E7Dd