From 2018 the Government proposes to implement Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) for rental properties so that it will be illegal to rent properties which fail to meet the minimum standards. It is expected that the minimum energy standard will be an energy rating of E on the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) from 2018. It will therefore not be possible to rent properties with scores of F & G.

Under the current rating score, this would include around 19% of the current building stock. However, when the regulations which affect the EPC rating scores also change in 2018, it is estimated that this figure will increase to around 35% due to the new regulations being more stringent.

The British Property Federation said the standards would have a `significant influence on the future quality of the UK’s energy stock’, and that ensuring buildings have an E rating would require ‘significant investment’.

Property owners are reviewing their properties to develop strategies for improving them to meet the minimum standards required for letting.