Energy Efficiency Standards Under Fire After Audit Reveals Widespread Insulation Failures

The UK Government is being urged to rethink its approach to new minimum energy efficiency standards (MEES) after an industry audit revealed widespread failures in insulation schemes, leaving thousands of homes at risk of damp, mould and structural damage.

James Kent, Chief Innovation Officer at the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) and founder of Safe2, has warned that current plans to raise EPC ratings for private rented homes are “unworkable” without urgent changes to policy and delivery.

Audit exposes large-scale failings

An independent review of 60,000 homes insulated under the ECO4 and Great British Insulation Scheme found that half of installations did not meet the required standards. More than 30,000 households were left with substandard work, with many properties facing increased risks of damp and mould growth.

Earlier this year, 39 insulation firms were suspended after failing TrustMark quality checks, raising serious concerns about the Government’s oversight of the retrofit sector.

Labour shortages threaten MEES deadline

Under current proposals, all private rented homes must achieve an EPC rating of C or above by 2028 for new tenancies, and by 2030 for existing ones. However, the sector is already facing a skills shortfall of 160,000 qualified workers, rising to 250,000 by 2030, making the timetable increasingly unrealistic.

Kent said:

“The scale of the insulation scandal shows that even Government-approved firms cannot always be relied upon to deliver work to the correct standard. Poor installation can make homes less energy efficient and, in some cases, even more hazardous.

“As demand rises in the run-up to the MEES deadline, we are looking not just at new upgrades but also remedial work on thousands of homes where insulation was botched. This creates huge pressure on landlords to find qualified, trusted contractors—and pushes costs even higher.”

Call for urgent rethink

Kent has called for the Government to push back the MEES deadline to 2030 for all properties, giving landlords time to plan upgrades and secure funding. Current proposals could see landlords facing costs of up to £15,000 per property, with many already challenging the figures and calling for a graduated spending cap.

Kent added:

“Without urgent changes, these rules risk compounding the housing supply crisis. More landlords will be forced to remove homes from the private rented sector, reducing tenant choice and driving rents up further.

“We need a realistic timetable, robust quality controls, and support that ensures homes are made genuinely energy efficient—without putting tenants or landlords at risk.”