EPC rules for landlords: band E now, band C next

The minimum EPC rating for rental property in England is band E. Since 1 April 2020 you cannot let, or keep letting, a home rated F or G unless you have registered a valid exemption. The government plans to raise the minimum to band C by 1 October 2030, but as of October 2026 that plan is not yet law.

This guide separates the two clearly: what you must do now, and what to plan for. Both sit within the wider landlord compliance checklist. This page covers England only: the energy efficiency regulations also extend to Wales, but Wales has its own tenancy law under the Renting Homes (Wales) Act 2016.

What EPC rating does a rental property need?

	Current law	Planned (policy, not yet law)
Minimum rating	Band E	Band C, measured on reformed EPCs
When	Since 1 April 2020, for new and existing lets	All tenancies in scope by 1 October 2030
Cost cap	£3,500 including VAT	£10,000 per property over 10 years
Most exemptions last	5 years (new landlord: 6 months)	Up to 10 years, some typically 5
Maximum penalty	£5,000 per property per breach	£30,000 per property per breach
Legal status	In force: Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property) Regulations 2015	DESNZ government response, January 2026

What your current rating means

Your EPC rating	Today	What to plan for
A, B or C	You can let	Under the plan, a C or above on an EPC dated before 1 October 2029 counts until that EPC expires or is replaced
D or E	You can let	Improvements to reach the new standard by 1 October 2030, if the plan becomes law
F or G	You cannot let unless you improve to E or register an exemption	Reaching E now, then the higher standard by 1 October 2030 if the plan becomes law

Your EPC duty when you let

The duty to provide an EPC comes from regulation 6 of the Energy Performance of Buildings (England and Wales) Regulations 2012. You must:

• give a valid EPC free of charge to any prospective tenant at the earliest opportunity;
• in any event, give it no later than the first time you provide written information about the property, or the first viewing, whichever is earlier;
• make sure the person who becomes the tenant has been given one.

GOV.UK says to order the EPC before you start marketing the property. An EPC is valid for 10 years, and that will stay the same after EPC reform. Check your property's certificate on GOV.UK's Find an energy certificate service.

The penalty for failing to provide an EPC is £200 per breach for a dwelling. Trading standards enforce it, and the penalty notice must be issued within 6 months of the breach.

MEES regulations today: band E and exemptions

The Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards, or MEES regulations, are in the Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property) (England and Wales) Regulations 2015. They cover assured, regulated and domestic agricultural tenancies where an EPC is legally required.

If a property is rated F or G, you must make improvements to reach band E. If you can't reach E within the £3,500 cost cap (including VAT), make all the improvements you can up to the cap, then register an exemption on the PRS Exemptions Register.

Current exemptions

Exemption	How long it lasts
All relevant improvements made	5 years
High cost (cap reached)	5 years
Wall insulation	5 years
Third-party consent refused	5 years, or until the tenancy ends where the tenant's consent was the issue
Devaluation of more than 5% (independent RICS surveyor report)	5 years
Recently became the landlord	6 months

Current penalties

Breach	Maximum penalty
Letting a non-compliant property for less than 3 months	£2,000 and/or publication
Letting a non-compliant property for 3 months or more	£4,000 and/or publication
False or misleading information on the exemptions register	£1,000
Failing to comply with a compliance notice	£2,000
Overall maximum	£5,000 per property per breach

Watch out: An exemption runs out. Note the registration date and its term, and plan the next step before it expires.

EPC C by 2030: what the government has planned

In January 2026 the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) confirmed its plan for a higher standard. The main points:

1. Date: all private tenancies in scope must meet the new standard by 1 October 2030. There will be no earlier date for new tenancies; the 2028 date floated in 2025 was dropped. Band E stays the legal minimum until then.
2. How it's measured: a dual-metric standard on reformed EPCs. The main measure is fabric performance; the second is either the heating system or smart readiness, at your choice. Band boundaries will be confirmed later.
3. Existing C ratings: a home rated C or above on the energy efficiency rating of an EPC dated before 1 October 2029 counts as compliant until that EPC expires or is replaced.
4. Cost cap: £10,000 per property, the most landlords will be required to spend over 10 years. Spending on relevant measures installed since 1 October 2025 will count once the rules apply. Third-party funding, including government schemes, counts, except Boiler Upgrade Scheme funding.
5. Lower-value homes: for homes worth under £100,000, the cap becomes 10% of the property's value.
6. Exemptions: 10 years for the cost cap, property value and "negative impacts" exemptions, a new solid wall insulation exemption, typically 5 years for the others, and a 6-month grace period for new landlords.
7. Penalty: up to £30,000 per property per breach.

The plan covers England and Wales and leaves out short-term lets for now.

Is EPC C by 2030 law yet?

No. The government said it would first take new powers through an Act of Parliament, then make regulations, aiming for them to come into force in 2027. We have not been able to confirm that this legislation has passed. The reformed EPCs the standard depends on have also been delayed: on 9 March 2026 the government moved their launch to the second half of 2027. GOV.UK's landlord guidance, updated 5 May 2026, still describes band C by 2030 as a policy aim.

Does the EPC rating affect eviction?

No. Giving the tenant an EPC used to be a condition of a valid section 21 notice, but section 21 was abolished for private tenancies on 1 May 2026. The Housing Act 1988 section 7, which governs possession orders on a Section 8 notice, has no EPC or MEES condition.

Energy efficiency does feed into the planned Decent Homes Standard, whose thermal comfort criterion includes MEES compliance. The government's policy statement says that standard will apply from 2035.

What EPCs and upgrades cost

These are estimates only:

• An EPC: about £60 to £120, from a single commercial price survey updated in September 2026.
• Upgrade work for the planned standard: the government's own impact assessment (January 2026) estimates an average of £5,400 per property.

Because spending on relevant measures since 1 October 2025 is planned to count towards the £10,000 cap, keep invoices for any energy work you do now.

EPC and MEES checklist

• Look up your EPC and note its rating and expiry date.
• If it expires before your next let, order a new one before marketing.
• Give prospective tenants the EPC free, by the first written details or viewing.
• If the rating is F or G, improve to E or register an exemption before letting.
• Note the expiry date of any exemption you've registered.
• Keep invoices for energy improvements made since 1 October 2025.
• Recheck the rules in 2027, when the regulations for the higher standard are expected.

What to do next

Add your EPC expiry date and any exemption end date to ValidNotice's free compliance reminders. Once the private rented sector database opens in your region, the draft regulations say your entry will also need your EPC and any MEES exemption. Then check your EICR and gas safety certificate dates.