Privately rented property covered by the MEES Regulations must have a valid EPC rated band E or above, unless a valid exemption is registered. That has applied to all tenancies, not just new ones, since April 2020, and the maximum penalty is currently £5,000 per property in total.
Government has confirmed a higher standard equivalent to EPC C for 1 October 2030, using reformed EPC metrics. Implementing legislation is still required. The current E minimum remains in force for rentals within MEES scope, unless a valid exemption is registered. For how the current position compares with the confirmed future policy, see our MEES timeline for landlords.
Current legal requirements at a glance
| Requirement | Detail |
|---|---|
| Minimum EPC band | E (SAP 39+) |
| In force since | April 2020 (all tenancies) |
| Letting below standard for under three months | Up to £2,000 |
| Letting below standard for three months or more | Up to £4,000 |
| Maximum fine | £5,000 per property in total (£30,000 proposed, not yet law) |
| EPC validity | 10 years from issue |
| Exemption register | PRS Exemptions Register (gov.uk) |
| Confirmed future policy | Higher standard equivalent to C from 1 October 2030, using reformed metrics; legislation required |
| Landlord register (England) | Evidence of the EPC for each let property; London registers 15 July to 14 October 2027 |
The obligation attaches to the act of letting, granting, renewing, or continuing a tenancy. A statutory periodic tenancy (rolling over after a fixed term) is treated as a continuation of the existing tenancy for MEES purposes.
When a letting needs an EPC at all, including rooms, lodgers, HMOs and holiday lets, is covered in do I need an EPC?
Local authorities enforce MEES and may publish breaches as well as impose financial penalties. Check the official current guidance for the detailed limits and review process.
Step 1, Know your portfolio's current ratings
Check the government EPC register (find-energy-certificate.service.gov.uk) for every property. Flags requiring immediate action:
- Rating F or G: If within MEES scope and without a valid exemption, the property cannot be let or continue to be let below E.
- Expiring certificate: Check when a replacement is legally required. Expiry during an unchanged continuing tenancy is not by itself a universal requirement to renew immediately.
- No EPC on register: Commission an assessment before the next letting (common for pre-2008 properties).
- Rating D or lower: Worth planning improvements against the confirmed higher standard for 1 October 2030, subject to legislation.
We offer bulk assessment scheduling across all London boroughs. Contact us to discuss portfolio programmes.
Step 2, Understand your property types
Improvement costs and feasibility vary enormously by construction. Categorise your portfolio:
Cavity-wall properties (1920–1990)
Found across outer London, Ealing, Croydon, Bromley, Enfield, Barnet, Sutton, Havering, and Bexley. Measures to investigate where suitable include:
- Cavity wall insulation, where the cavity is unfilled and suitable
- Topping up loft insulation
- LED lighting throughout
These are the cheaper measures, and generally the right order to do them in. What they are worth on a specific property is calculated from the whole dwelling, and appears in the suggested improvements on that property's EPC. There is no standard budget that guarantees C from D. Obtain property-specific assessment and installer quotes.
GBIS ended on 31 March 2026. ECO4 ends on 31 December 2026, and funded work has to be finished by then; eligibility and actual availability must be checked with a supplier or local authority.
Victorian and Edwardian solid-wall properties (pre-1919)
The dominant type in inner London, Hackney, Islington, Lambeth, Wandsworth, Southwark, Tower Hamlets, Newham. Possible interventions need a property-specific suitability check:
- External wall insulation: check moisture risks, permissions and conservation constraints
- Internal wall insulation: check detailing, ventilation and loss of usable floor space
- Solar PV: assess roof suitability, shading, permissions and electrical design
- Lighting, loft insulation and controls: review what is already present
Get the property assessed before choosing measures. The starting score alone cannot identify a reliable improvement package. Our domestic EPC assessment has guide prices from £65.
Post-war flats and maisonettes (1945–1980)
Common in Tower Hamlets, Lambeth, Southwark, Newham, Hackney, and Brent. The heating system is often the critical factor:
- Electric storage heaters: record the actual model and controls
- Communal heat network: obtain available system information
- Individual boiler: review the model, controls and building fabric
A heating change requires property-specific design advice and may need freeholder consent. Do not assume a particular system will deliver the largest EPC improvement.
Step 3, Prioritise improvements strategically
Priority order:
- F/G properties first, check MEES scope and any valid registered exemption; act promptly where required
- E properties next, plan for the proposed C deadline; consider access and disruption when scheduling work
- D properties third — if band C is legislated, D becomes the compliance risk
- Use ECO4 while it lasts, it closes on 31 December 2026 and the work has to be finished by then; check eligibility for any tenant receiving means-tested benefits
- Batch by property type, ask assessors and installers about feasible scheduling; capacity is confirmed individually
Step 4, Exemptions: when and how to use them
Exemptions are narrow and must be registered on the PRS Exemptions Register before you continue letting. An unregistered exemption is not valid.
Cost-related exemptions: The current cap is £3,500 including VAT. The all-improvements-made exemption applies when relevant work within the cap is completed but the property remains below E. The separate high-cost exemption needs evidence that even the cheapest recommended measure exceeds the cap, including three installer quotes. The confirmed future cap is £10,000, subject to legislation.
Consent exemption: A tenant, lender, or planning authority has refused consent in writing. Document everything.
Devaluation exemption: An independent surveyor confirms the works would reduce market value by more than 5%.
Listed buildings: Listed status is not an automatic exemption. Establish whether an EPC is required and, if MEES applies, whether a specific registered exemption is available.
Common mistakes: getting only one quote, not completing sub-cap measures before claiming the exemption, letting the five-year exemption lapse without re-registering.
Step 5, The proposed C standard: planning now
The C standard is not yet law, but the 2030 planning horizon is worth working to. Key actions:
- Know your scores, commission assessments for any property without a current EPC
- Model improvement costs per property type, obtain suitable advice and installer quotes for each building
- Check funding, ECO4 closes on 31 December 2026; after that, check GOV.UK for Warm Homes Plan grants
- Schedule works between tenancies, insulation and wall works in an empty property are faster and cheaper
- Factor into purchase decisions, investigate actual works and costs before buying; no budget follows from a band alone
For the full legislative timeline and cost cap details, see our EPC C by 2030 guide.
Registering your rental property
The Renters' Rights Act requires private landlords in England to register themselves and each property they let on the government's Register your rental property service. Registration opens region by region from 15 December 2026, and each region gets three months. London's window is 15 July 2027 to 14 October 2027, and you can register before it opens.
During the rollout, which ends on 14 November 2027, you only have to register homes that are let or become let in that time. GOV.UK says empty homes will later need registering before they are advertised.
| What you give | When |
|---|---|
| Your details, the property's address, bedrooms and rental status, a correspondence address, and contacts for any managing agent, superior landlord or freeholder | When you register |
| Evidence of the EPC, gas safety certificate (if there is gas) and electrical safety certificate, tenancy details and any licence | At registration or within 28 days |
| Anything that changes or expires | Within 28 days of the change or expiry |
If the property record is not completed within 28 days, the registration may be deactivated. You start the registration yourself, even if an agent fills in the tenancy and safety details later.
The fee is £65 a year per property, not subject to VAT. It is reduced during the rollout so that nobody pays for days before 15 November 2027. Failing to register can lead to a penalty of up to £7,000.
Before your region's window, check each property's EPC on the national register and request a quote for any that need a new one.
Getting assessments across your portfolio
For London landlords managing multiple properties, we recommend a portfolio sweep: a bulk EPC assessment programme to confirm all current ratings in one round. Send the property list so we can confirm a feasible schedule.
All 32 London boroughs are covered. See our landlords page for service details, our pricing page for per-property costs, or contact us to arrange portfolio scheduling.
For the full legal detail on MEES, see our MEES regulations guide. For individual improvement costs, see our EPC improvement guide.
What it costs
An EPC is priced by the home’s internal floor area. Guide prices:
- Up to 40 m²Studios and compact flats£65
- 41–55 m²1-bedroom flats£75
- 56–75 m²2-bedroom flats and small homes£85
- 76–95 m²2–3-bedroom homes£95
- 96–115 m²3–4-bedroom houses£105
- 116 m² and overLarge homes, 4+ bedroomsfrom£120
A floor plan at the same visit saves up to £35. Same-day lodgement is £15 extra, and a next-day visit with the EPC lodged that day is £35 extra. Your exact price is confirmed before you book.
See every priceFrequently asked questions
Do I need a new EPC for each new tenancy?
No. An EPC is valid for 10 years and you can use the same certificate for consecutive tenancies within that period. However, if the certificate expires you must commission a new one before the next letting. If you've made improvements, a new assessment will show the updated rating.
What if my EPC expires during a tenancy?
The duty to have an EPC arises when a home is sold or let, so an EPC that runs out part-way through a tenancy does not have to be replaced at that moment. You need a valid one before you next market or let the home. The government is still deciding whether to require a new EPC whenever one expires in a private rented home; its January 2026 response left that open.
What EPC rating is needed for an HMO?
For an HMO within MEES scope, E is the current minimum unless a valid exemption is registered. Whether an EPC is required depends on the letting arrangement; individual room lets do not automatically require a whole-building EPC. Check licensing requirements separately.
My tenant refuses access for improvement works. What do I do?
A tenant-consent exemption may apply if its conditions are met. Keep evidence of reasonable efforts to obtain consent and the refusal, and register the exemption before relying on it. It is not a blanket exemption from other measures and ends when that tenancy ends.
Are short-term lets (Airbnb) subject to MEES?
Check EPC requirements and tenancy type separately. A holiday let is not automatically within domestic MEES, and the EPC exceptions for limited use have specific conditions. A change to residential letting can change the legal requirements.
What happens when the proposed band C standard comes in?
Government has confirmed a higher standard equivalent to EPC C for 1 October 2030, using reformed EPC metrics. Implementing legislation is still required. The current E minimum remains in force for rentals within MEES scope, unless a valid exemption is registered.
Can I pass improvement costs to my tenant through higher rent?
An EPC or improvement plan does not authorise a rent increase or a charge to a tenant. Rent changes have separate legal requirements; take tenancy-specific advice before changing rent. A higher rating does not guarantee higher rent.
In your area
Ratings from EPCs lodged for existing homes, 01/01/2023 to 12/10/2026, from the GOV.UK register.
Sources
- Reforms to the Energy Performance of Buildings regime: partial government response, GOV.UK (MHCLG and DESNZ). Checked 29/10/2026.Whether a new EPC should be required when one expires during a private tenancy is still to be decided (paragraphs 43 to 46, 65 and 72).
- Domestic private rented property: minimum energy efficiency standard, landlord guidance, GOV.UK (DESNZ). Checked 29/10/2026.EPC E since 1 April 2020 for all covered tenancies; the £3,500 cost cap including VAT; most exemptions last 5 years; £5,000 maximum per property in total.
- The Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property) (England and Wales) Regulations 2015, regulation 23, legislation.gov.uk. Checked 29/10/2026.A landlord of a sub-standard property must not let it unless an exemption applies.
- Improving the energy performance of privately rented homes in England and Wales: government response, GOV.UK (DESNZ). Checked 29/10/2026.Updated 21 January 2026. All tenancies to meet the higher standard by 1 October 2030; £10,000 cap, or 10% of value if lower; £30,000 maximum fine per property per breach; new powers by Act of Parliament, then regulations aimed at 2027.
- Extending the ECO4 end date: government response, GOV.UK (DESNZ). Checked 29/10/2026.ECO4 extended by 9 months to end on 31 December 2026; GBIS ended on 31 March 2026.
- Register your rental property service: guidance for landlords, GOV.UK (MHCLG). Checked 31/10/2026.Published 29 October 2026. Regional registration periods (London 15 July to 14 October 2027); evidence of the EPC among the property information; 28 days to complete and to update; £65 a year per property, not subject to VAT; penalties up to £7,000 for not registering.
Crown copyright material is used under the Open Government Licence v3.0.
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