EPC Requirements for Landlords 2026: What's Confirmed and What's Coming
The full statutory basis, evidence requirements, deadlines, and penalty detail for commissioning, advertising, distribution, and minimum Band E standard are on the dedicated obligation page.
View EPC Requirements for Landlords obligation →Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) are a legal requirement for private residential landlords in England. The current minimum standard is an E rating. On 21 January 2026, the government confirmed through the Warm Homes Plan that all privately rented properties in England and Wales will be required to achieve a minimum C rating by 1 October 2030. This guide sets out the current legal requirements, the confirmed upcoming changes, and what landlords should do now. It is derived from the Energy Performance of Buildings Regulations 2012, the Warm Homes Plan (January 2026), and official GOV.UK guidance.
Current EPC requirements
An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rates the energy efficiency of a property on a scale from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient). Landlords in England who let or renew a tenancy on a domestic property are required by law to have a valid EPC for that property.
An EPC is valid for 10 years from the date of issue. If you have a valid EPC from within the last 10 years, you do not need to commission a new one unless you make significant improvements or alterations to the property that would change its energy performance.
Minimum E rating
Under the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES), it is unlawful to let or continue to let a domestic property in England with an EPC rating below E. This has applied to new tenancies since April 2018 and to all tenancies — including existing ones — since April 2020.
If your property is currently rated F or G, you cannot legally let it or continue to let it without either improving it to at least an E rating or registering a valid exemption on the PRS Exemptions Register. The exemption must be registered before letting — it is not automatic.
Letting a property rated F or G without a registered exemption exposes you to civil penalties of up to £5,000 per property and publication on the PRS Exemptions Register. Local authorities are responsible for enforcement. Enforcement discretion rests with the local housing authority, and failure to register a valid exemption before letting is itself a breach.
Exemptions from the minimum standard
A number of exemptions apply to the minimum E rating requirement. Exemptions must be registered on the PRS Exemptions Register at GOV.UK. They are not automatic.
- High cost exemption. Where the cost of making the relevant energy efficiency improvements would exceed £3,500 (including VAT), and the property still cannot reach an E, a five-year exemption may be registered.
- All improvements made exemption. Where all cost-effective improvements have been made and the property still cannot reach an E, a five-year exemption may be registered.
- Wall insulation exemption. Where certain types of wall insulation are not suitable, appropriate, or cannot be installed with third-party consent.
- Consent exemption. Where necessary consent (from a tenant, superior landlord, or planning authority) has been refused.
- Newly let property exemption. A six-month exemption for properties newly let where immediate improvement is not yet possible.
- Property devaluation. Where a surveyor confirms that the required improvements would reduce the market value of the property by more than 5%.
Exemptions are property-specific and landlord-specific. They do not transfer to a new owner if you sell the property.
Obtaining an EPC
EPCs must be produced by a government-accredited domestic energy assessor. You can find accredited assessors through the government's EPC register at epcregister.com. The assessor will visit the property and produce a report based on construction, insulation, heating systems, and other factors.
The cost of an EPC varies by assessor and property size. Shop around for quotes. The EPC will include a recommendations report showing what improvements could be made to raise the rating.
Once produced, your EPC is automatically lodged on the national EPC register at epcregister.com. You can check the current EPC for any property on that register — useful for confirming the rating before purchasing a property to let.
Serving the EPC on tenants
You must provide a copy of the EPC to a prospective tenant before they sign the tenancy agreement. Failure to do so affects the validity of certain notices — in particular, a Section 21 notice (prior to its abolition) could not be served where the EPC had not been provided. Under the current framework, failure to serve the EPC is relevant to your overall compliance record and is an obligation that should be evidenced.
You should keep a dated record of when you provided the EPC to each tenant, alongside a copy of the certificate. This forms part of your compliance records.
Confirmed changes: EPC C required by 1 October 2030
On 21 January 2026, the government published the Warm Homes Plan, confirming that all privately rented properties in England and Wales must achieve a minimum EPC C rating by 1 October 2030. This single deadline applies to both new and existing tenancies. An earlier proposal to split the deadline — 2028 for new tenancies, 2030 for existing — was dropped in favour of a unified date. The minimum standard remains E until 1 October 2030.
The 1 October 2030 deadline, the C rating standard, and the £10,000 cost cap are confirmed government policy under the Warm Homes Plan (21 January 2026). Regulations have not yet been laid before Parliament and details may be refined, but the policy position is settled. The minimum standard remains E until that date.
The £10,000 cost cap
Landlords will be required to spend up to £10,000 per property (including VAT) to achieve the C rating. Qualifying expenditure from 1 October 2025 counts towards this cap — money spent on eligible improvements now is not wasted. If a landlord reaches the cap without achieving EPC C, they may register a cost cap exemption. For properties valued below £100,000, the cap may instead be set at 10% of the property's value.
Early mover protection
Any property that achieves an EPC C rating under the current methodology before 1 October 2029 will be treated as compliant with the 2030 standard until that EPC expires. EPCs remain valid for 10 years in England — the proposed reduction to five years was considered but not adopted. Landlords who act before the methodology change are protected without needing reassessment under the new system.
The new Home Energy Model (HEM)
From 1 October 2029, a new EPC methodology — the Home Energy Model (HEM) — becomes compulsory for all assessments. HEM replaces the current cost-based Energy Efficiency Rating. Under HEM, a property must first meet a fabric performance standard (how well the building retains heat), then meet either a heating system metric or a smart readiness metric. Properties obtaining a C under the current system before October 2029 are protected as noted above; any assessment or reassessment after October 2029 uses HEM.
The HEM launch was originally expected in late 2026. On 9 March 2026, the government confirmed the launch has been moved to the second half of 2027. The compulsory switchover date of 1 October 2029 is unchanged.
Improving your property's EPC rating now — where cost-effective — is advisable. Spend from 1 October 2025 qualifies for the new cost cap. Funded routes include the Warm Homes Local Grant and the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, which offers grants towards heat pump installations (including air-to-air heat pumps from April 2026). The government's ECO4 programme may also provide grant funding for qualifying improvements.
Penalties for non-compliance
Current penalties (in force now)
Local housing authorities are responsible for enforcing the minimum energy efficiency standards. Current penalties under the Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property) (England and Wales) Regulations 2015 include:
- Civil penalty of up to £2,000 for failing to have a valid EPC
- Civil penalty of up to £2,000 for letting a property below the minimum standard without a registered exemption for less than three months
- Civil penalty of up to £4,000 for letting a property below the minimum standard without a registered exemption for three months or more
- Civil penalty of up to £1,000 for providing false or misleading information on the PRS Exemptions Register
- Publication on the local authority's enforcement list for at least 12 months
Future penalties from 2030
The Warm Homes Plan sets out the government's intention to raise the maximum penalty for MEES non-compliance to £30,000 per property per breach when the 2030 standard comes into force. This is a significant increase from the current maximum. Enforcement would remain with local housing authorities.
The £30,000 figure is confirmed government policy but requires new primary legislation (an Act of Parliament) before it can be enacted. The government has indicated it aims for the enabling statutory instrument to come into force in 2027. The current penalty structure above remains in force until that legislation is passed.