Sparks of 2026 #5: VESA The Landlord Helper
There has been significant noise about the impact of the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards on private landlords. Uncertainty, shifting timelines and unclear guidance have created a perfect storm in the rental sector.
The next contender in our Sparks of 2026 list is Vibrant Energy Matters and their flagship service, the Vibrant Energy Saving Audit, known as a VESA.
The work delivered by Vibrant is transforming how portfolio landlords understand, plan and deliver energy efficiency improvements.
The Problem: MEES Confusion and Portfolio Complexity
Poor communication from government and ongoing delays to policy updates have left private landlords facing an impossible challenge.
How do they improve their properties to EPC C while keeping tenants in place, avoiding void periods, and making meaningful upgrades? This is even harder when no one can confirm delivery dates, enforcement timelines or detailed routes to compliance.
Ross Jones
Most landlords are stuck between ageing housing stock, tenant expectations, complex regulation and a market full of generic advice that cannot be applied across a varied portfolio.
What landlords needed was not another document or a guesswork EPC plan. They needed a clear and credible route.
The Vibrant Route: Data, Experience and a Portfolio-Level Strategy
Vibrant took a different approach. They had one clear advantage: the backing of their parent group Connells, which brings national surveying capability and deep data insight across millions of UK homes.
This meant they could design a bottom up solution that starts with valid EPCs, in-home assessments and a structured audit process. The VESA methodology connects the problems identified in each property with solutions that are actionable, costed and sequenced.
Steve Norris | Homeowner
VESA has been adopted by Santander
What a VESA Delivers for Landlords
A VESA does not simply highlight problems. It gives landlords a property-by-property plan that is ready for investment and aligned with compliance expectations.
Each VESA audit maps:
• The current property condition and EPC rating
• The measures required to reach EPC C or higher
• Costed pathways to improvement
• Work sequencing to minimise tenant disruption
• Predicted gains in efficiency, comfort and long-term asset value
• The risks and financial implications of inaction
This turns a complex compliance problem into a manageable portfolio-wide strategy.
Why VESA Matters for 2026
The direction of travel in the UK housing market is remo. Even if MEES timelines shift again, lenders, insurers, regulators and tenants now expect landlords to demonstrate real progress on energy efficiency.
A VESA gives landlords something the market has lacked for years: clarity.
Clarity on what needs to be done.
Clarity on how much it will cost.
Clarity on the order of works.
Clarity on compliance risks.
Clarity on where to begin.
Early adopters have shown that this clarity converts uncertainty into confident action.
Vibrant Energy Matters earns its place in the Sparks of 2026 list because they have built a tool that removes confusion and gives landlords the confidence to upgrade their portfolios with evidence and direction.
Todays article was sponsored by Becker and Wolf
Becker & Wolf specializes in cutting-edge technology solutions. Their range of all-in-one heat pumps provides a simpler and more efficient alternative to traditional split units. With everything in one unit, installation is quicker and cost-effective. Perfect for properties where exterior modifications are limited.