If you own a rental property in Adamsdown, Splott or Fairwater, September 2026 marks a significant moment for your portfolio. Cardiff is set to become the first city in Wales to host a dedicated energy efficiency pilot for private landlords, the Tai Clyd Caerdydd scheme, and the three target neighbourhoods are precisely where many of Cardiff’s most active buy-to-let investors hold property.
At Martin & Co Cardiff, we work with landlords across the city every day, and we know that energy compliance can feel like one of the more complex corners of property ownership. The good news is that with the right information and the right support, meeting your obligations ahead of the 2030 deadline is entirely achievable, and this pilot scheme makes it more accessible than ever.
Understanding the EPC requirements for Welsh landlords
Under current Welsh legislation, all privately rented properties must hold a minimum Energy Performance Certificate rating of Band E before a tenancy can be legally granted or renewed. This requirement is already in force and applies to all landlords letting to contract holders under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016.
However, the landscape is set to change significantly. The Welsh Government has proposed raising the minimum standard to EPC Band C by 1 October 2030 for all private rental properties in Wales. This is currently a proposal rather than enacted law, but the direction of travel is clear, and landlords who begin planning now will be in a far stronger position than those who wait.
The £10,000 cost cap: what it means for your planning
Alongside the proposed Band C target, the Welsh Government has set a £10,000 cost cap on qualifying energy improvement works. Crucially, any qualifying expenditure made from 1 October 2025 onwards will count toward that cap.
This means that if you have already invested in improvements such as loft insulation, draught-proofing or heating system upgrades since October 2025, those costs can be included in your total, giving you more financial headroom as you plan the next phase of works.
What is the Tai Clyd Caerdydd scheme?
Tai Clyd Caerdydd, which translates broadly as ‘Warm Homes Cardiff’, is a hyperlocal energy efficiency pilot backed by £17 million of Welsh Government funding. It launches on 1 September 2026 and runs through to September 2027, operating exclusively in three Cardiff neighbourhoods: Adamsdown, Splott and Fairwater.
The scheme is open to private landlords and offers two core benefits. First, a free independent whole-house energy assessment carried out by qualified assessors, giving you an accurate, impartial picture of where your property currently sits and what improvements are needed to reach Band C. Second, access to a vetted installer network, meaning you can commission works with confidence, knowing that contractors have been independently assessed for quality and reliability.
Why these three neighbourhoods?
The selection of Adamsdown, Splott and Fairwater is no coincidence. Adamsdown and Splott are both identified within Cardiff Council’s five-year regeneration strategy as priority areas for investment and improvement in south Cardiff. Both neighbourhoods are characterised by high concentrations of pre-1919 Victorian and Edwardian terraced housing, some of the most energy-inefficient stock in the city, where the gap between current EPC ratings and the proposed Band C target tends to be widest.
Fairwater, meanwhile, sits within the expanding Plasdŵr Garden City corridor in west Cardiff, one of the most significant residential development zones in Wales, where a growing rental market is attracting landlords with both established and newly acquired properties.
Together, these three areas represent some of Cardiff’s most active buy-to-let investment zones, and the Tai Clyd Caerdydd pilot has been designed with precisely this landlord profile in mind.
Typical upgrade costs for Cardiff’s Victorian and Edwardian housing stock
One of the most common concerns we hear from landlords is uncertainty around costs. To give you a realistic picture, here is what typical energy improvement works cost for the kind of pre-1919 terraced properties that are common across Adamsdown and Splott.
Loft insulation typically costs between £300 and £930, depending on the size of the property and the depth of insulation required. Cavity wall filling, where the construction allows, generally falls between £650 and £1,200. Upgrading a property from EPC Band D to Band C, which is the most common journey for Cardiff landlords with this type of housing stock, typically costs between £3,000 and £8,000 in total.
Importantly, that range sits comfortably within the proposed £10,000 cost cap for the majority of properties. For landlords with multiple properties, each property is assessed individually against the cap, so portfolio planning is straightforward.
Additional funding routes available to Welsh landlords
Beyond the Tai Clyd Caerdydd pilot, Welsh landlords have access to further financial support. The Welsh Government’s Nest Warm Homes Programme provides funded energy efficiency measures for eligible households, which can benefit contract holders in lower-income circumstances and indirectly support landlords in meeting their obligations.
The UK-wide Boiler Upgrade Scheme also remains available to Welsh landlords, offering grants toward the cost of replacing fossil fuel heating systems with heat pumps or biomass boilers, a relevant consideration for landlords whose properties require more substantial heating upgrades to reach Band C.
How Martin & Co Cardiff can help you prepare
At Martin & Co Cardiff, our lettings team has been supporting landlords across the city through every stage of regulatory change for years. With over 30 years of experience across the Martin & Co network, managing more than 41,000 properties nationally, compliance expertise is at the core of what we do, not an afterthought.
We understand the specific challenges that come with Cardiff’s older housing stock, and we can help you assess where your properties currently stand, identify the most cost-effective route to Band C, and ensure your obligations to contract holders under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016 are met throughout any improvement works.
Whether you manage one property in Splott or a portfolio spread across Adamsdown and Fairwater, our dedicated local team is here to simplify the process, without any fuss.
Acting now rather than later
With the Tai Clyd Caerdydd scheme opening its doors on 1 September 2026, landlords in the three target areas have a genuinely time-limited opportunity to access free assessments and a vetted installer network. The scheme runs for just twelve months, and demand for assessments is expected to be high given the concentration of older properties across Adamsdown and Splott.
Registering your interest early, commissioning a whole-house assessment as soon as the scheme launches, and using that assessment to plan a phased programme of works is the most straightforward path to compliance, and to protecting the long-term value of your investment.
The bottom line for Cardiff landlords
The proposed EPC Band C target for 2030 represents a meaningful shift for the Welsh private rental sector, but it is one that landlords in Adamsdown, Splott and Fairwater are particularly well-placed to navigate, thanks to the Tai Clyd Caerdydd pilot, the existing £10,000 cost cap structure, and the range of additional funding routes available through programmes such as Nest and the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
The key is to start early, use the free resources available, and work with a letting agent who understands both the local market and the compliance landscape in Wales.
Martin & Co Cardiff is ready to help you take that next step. Get in touch with our Cardiff branch today to discuss your portfolio and find out how we can support your energy compliance planning, or book a free rental valuation to understand exactly where your property stands in today’s market.
To speak directly with our team about your properties in Adamsdown, Splott, Fairwater or anywhere else across Cardiff, contact Martin & Co Cardiff and we will be happy to guide you through your options with no obligation and no fuss.
