Energy Secretary Ed Davey presented the Minimum Energy Performance Standards (MEPS) regulations which rule that from April 2018 landlords will be required to install energy saving measures in homes and non-domestic buildings which fall into the two worst energy efficiency ratings, Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) Bands “F” and “G”.

From April 2016, landlords of privately rented homes will also be required to accept reasonable requests from tenants for energy efficiency measures to be installed.

John Alker, Acting CEO of the UK Green Building Council, said: “This could be the single most significant piece of legislation to affect our existing building stock in a generation, affecting a huge swathe of rented properties. Government deserves huge credit for sticking to its guns.Some will undoubtedly cry ‘red tape’, but good landlords and forward-thinking property companies have nothing to fear. This could provide the impetus needed to upgrade our worst-performing, most energy-hungry rented properties and help to kick-start a multi-million pound market in energy efficiency products and services in the UK.”