Landlords need an energy roadmap for 2030 targets
12:01 AM, 28th September 2026, 27 minutes ago
Landlords need the government to provide a clear roadmap to help prepare for the sector’s 2030 energy efficiency targets.
The warning comes from the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) and Energy Saving Trust.
They say that leaving investment until nearer the deadline could put installers, supply chains and council enforcement teams under pressure at the same time.
Their joint briefing calls for ministers to explain how Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) will fit alongside changes to Energy Performance Certificates, exemptions and financial support.
With four years to prepare, the organisations say delivery depends on accessible finance, enough skilled tradespeople and reliable advice.
Landlord energy improvements
The NRLA’s chief executive, Ben Beadle, said: “Landlords want to provide homes that are warmer, cheaper to heat and fit for the future.
“Whilst the changes announced by the government earlier this year have made the proposed framework more workable, the focus now needs to be on making sure it can actually be delivered.”
He added: “2030 may sound some way off, but upgrading homes on the scale now needed requires landlords, installers, lenders, local authorities and tenants to start preparing now.
“That means providing urgent certainty about what will be required, ensuring the tradespeople and finance that landlords will need are available to carry out the work.”
Finance for improvements
The report on how to deliver the 2030 energy targets follows a parliamentary roundtable chaired by Clive Betts MP, the former Housing Select Committee chair, involving the two organisations and representatives from 10 others.
He said: “Improving the energy efficiency of the rental housing stock is a vital part of the government’s mission to address cost-of-living pressures and improve conditions across the sector.
“Ministers now need to turn welcome ambitions into reality on the ground.”
Participants welcomed the direction provided by the Warm Homes Plan and the revised approach to MEES for privately rented homes.
However, they called for the government to work with lenders and the wider sector to support early investment and ensure publicly funded improvements deliver fairer outcomes for tenants.
Advice and enforcement
Businesses also need sufficient certainty about future demand to invest in training and apprenticeships, alongside stronger checks on the quality of retrofit work.
The planned Warm Homes Agency should provide impartial advice tailored to landlords and tenants, working with existing services, the briefing says.
It also calls for simpler complaints and redress procedures, with councils being properly resourced to enforce standards.
Older and disabled tenants, along with households at risk of fuel poverty, should receive tailored support and clear communication.
The Energy Saving Trust’s Stew Horne said: “New energy efficiency standards for the private rented sector are an important step towards upgrading privately rented homes to make them warmer and more efficient for renters.
“To ensure successful delivery of these standards, it is essential that the right support is in place for both landlords and tenants.”
He added that access to green finance products, such as low-cost loans, will support landlords to invest in their properties and bring in-depth advice to help navigate the energy requirements.
