King Charles and Prince William could face a multimillion-pound bill to improve rental properties across their estates. This comes after the British government introduced new energy-efficiency rules. The pair could need to upgrade hundreds of homes before 2030 or risk fines for properties that fail to meet the required standard.
King Charles and Prince William will reportedly have to spend millions to upgrade rental properties
The British government plans to raise the minimum Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating for private rental homes from E to C by 2030. The policy aims to improve energy efficiency, lower household bills, and reduce fuel poverty. The changes could create a particularly expensive challenge for the royal estates, as reported by Hello Magazine.
King Charles oversees the Sandringham Estate and the Duchy of Lancaster, while Prince William receives private income from the Duchy of Cornwall, which Charles handed to him after becoming king. An investigation by The Guardian examined more than 700 EPCs across the three estates. It found that around nine in 10 of the properties surveyed had ratings of D or lower, meaning they would not meet the proposed C standard.
The investigation also found that about 99% of the Sandringham rental properties examined had ratings between D and G. More than 90% of the Duchy of Lancaster properties surveyed also fell into the D-to-G range, while around 80% of the Duchy of Cornwall’s rental homes received ratings between D and G.
The scale of the problem could translate into a substantial financial burden. Estimates put the cost of bringing each affected property up to a C rating at roughly £10,000. If the wider property portfolios reflect the sample examined, the combined upgrade bill could reach around £10 million. Landlords who fail to meet the required standard could also face fines of up to £30,000 for each rental property.
The EPC system, introduced in England and Wales in 2007, rates properties from A to G according to their energy efficiency. An A rating represents the highest level of efficiency, while G represents the lowest.
Originally reported by Khushali Srivastava on Reality Tea.
