Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, with reference to the consultation entitled Reforms to the Energy Performance of Buildings regime, published on 4 December 2024, what assessment she has made of the potential impact of these proposals on the rating of an average dwelling with an EPC rating of C.

The average cost of an energy performance certificate (EPC) is estimated to be £70 for domestic properties and £400 for non-domestic properties. The average costs for private sector landlords who need to make improvements to their domestic properties as a result of the consultation proposal are between £1,500 - £2,500, with estimated lifetime savings of £6,400. An Impact Assessment has been published alongside the consultation (impact assessment).

The EPC is an information tool designed to support people making decisions at the point of buying, renting and retrofitting their properties. The changes in the proposal are intended to help people manage their energy costs and reduce their carbon emissions. Adding new metrics for fabric performance, heating system type and smart readiness to the EPC will provide further information for people about how to reduce their costs and transition to low carbon heating. These new metrics will potentially highlight additional areas for improvements, even for those who have already achieved an EPC C rating under the current system.