King Charles and Prince William face £10 million energy upgrades on estates
New energy efficiency rules look to impact the duchies of Cornwall and Lancaster, as well as Sandringham estate, with the majority of properties needing improvements.
King Charles and Prince William might be forced to spend up to £10 million upgrading rental properties on their private estates to meet proposed energy-efficiency rules.
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Under new legislation, landlords will need to ensure their properties have energy performance certificate (EPC) ratings of C or higher by 2030 - an increase from the current requirement of an E.
EPCs provide an energy-efficiency score for properties in relation to their running costs, helping residents to estimate energy bills and environmental impact.
They were introduced in 2007 after growing concern about carbon emissions, with the most energy-efficient properties awarded an A rating, and the worst are given a G.
An investigation considering around 700 of the domestic EPCs across the Duchy of Lancaster, the Duchy of Cornwall and the Sandringham estate found that 630 would fail to meet the government’s proposed requirements.
The Sandringham estate was particularly poor, with 99% of its' rental properties carrying an EPC rating of D or lower, but the figure remained over 90% for the Duchy of Lancaster and about 80% for the Duchy of Cornwall too.
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Both Charles and William, who have been praised for their environmental advocacy, are likely to be criticised if the estates fail to meet the new government standards.
As a result, the pair face spending up to £10,000 to upgrade each property, and could be fined £30,000 for every property they continue to rent without carrying out the necessary work.
The precise number of domestic properties across the estates is unclear as the royals do not publish lists of their landholdings, but the figure is believed to exceed 1,200 - meaning if this sample is representative, then over 1,000 properties could require improvement if they are to be rented out.
The renovation costs could exceed £10m, similar to the annual combined residential rental income of the duchies.
Some have exemptions from the energy efficiency regulations are in place for farmhouses, historic properties or because the tenancies pre-date the current regulations - but it is unclear if these loopholes will remain in place under the new rules.
The royal estates are often less energy efficient than most privately rented homes because they are mainly older rural properties which use oil, coal or wood for heating.
Speaking on the upgraded EPC ratings, a government spokesman said: “Everyone deserves to live in a warm, comfortable home.
"Our plans for private rental homes to be EPC C by 2030 could lift up to half a million households out of fuel poverty by 2030, cutting bills to give families across the country the breathing space they need.”
Information on how landlords will be required to upgrade their properties have not yet been published by the government.