Nearly one-fifth of private rented homes would need work costing more than �10,000 to bring them up to an EPC Band C, according to the latest PRS figures.
The English Housing Survey Private Rented Sector report for 2020-21 found that these were more likely to need larger sums of money spent on them to reach a C than those of social renters but less likely to require the greatest spend of �15,000 or more compared with owner-occupiers.
Energy efficiency improvement costs were estimated at between �5,000 and �9,999 (45% of PRS homes), while almost a third (31%) could be improved for under �5,000.
At the other end of the scale, 18% of homes would cost more than �10,000 to improve to at least a Band C, and a further 6% of homes would require �15,000 or more.
The government is currently considering proposals that would mean all new tenancies started after the end of December 2025 would need a minimum EPC rating of C while all existing tenancies would need this from December 2028.
In 2020, most private renters lived in properties with a Band D (45%) and C (39%) while 10% lived in homes with a Band E, and 4% were in the lowest rated homes with Band F or G.
Read more about energy efficiency laws.
Private renters generally lived in poorer performing dwellings compared with social renters; 63% of social renters' homes had a Band C and only 1% lived in houses with a Band F or G. Private renters in London (50%) were more likely to live in a property with a C rating compared with the rest of England (36%).
The report puts the poorer energy performance of the private rented sector down to the fact it has a higher proportion of the oldest (built before 1919) and generally less well-insulated housing stock than the social sector.
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