EPC and Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards

Now and From 2030

What an EPC Shows

An Energy Performance Certificate rates a home from A (most efficient) to G, based on an assessment of its insulation, heating, glazing and lighting, and recommends improvements. An EPC is needed whenever a property is built, sold or let, and must be available to prospective buyers or tenants. Certificates last ten years and can be checked on the government's EPC register.

The government is introducing new EPC metrics, covering energy cost, fabric performance, heating system efficiency and smart readiness. The 2030 standard will be met through a combination of these rather than the single A to G energy rating.

The Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards

Since April 2018 for new tenancies, and April 2020 for all tenancies, landlords in England and Wales have not been allowed to let a home rated F or G unless a valid exemption is registered on the PRS Exemptions Register. In January 2026, as part of the Warm Homes Plan, the government confirmed that the standard will rise to the equivalent of band C by 1 October 2030 for all tenancies, with a cost cap of £10,000 per property and exemptions lasting ten years where the cap has been spent and the target still is not met. Short-term lets are excluded for now. The detail will be set out in regulations.

What It Could Cost

Typical measures to move a home from D or E to C include loft and cavity wall insulation, better heating controls, a new boiler or heat pump, double glazing and solar panels. Older solid-wall terraces and flats in converted buildings are often the hardest and most expensive to improve. Across a portfolio of ten D-rated houses, landlords may face a bill well into five figures, which is why EPC ratings now feature heavily in buyers' offers.

EPCs and Selling a Portfolio

• Buyers price in the work. Investor buyers deduct their estimate of the cost of reaching band C from what they will pay, often with a margin for risk.
• Improve or sell? Works that add a band can be worthwhile where they are cheap, such as loft insulation or LED lighting. Major works close to a sale rarely return their cost in the price. Spending may count as a repair or a capital improvement for tax depending on what is done.
• Check expiry dates. You need a valid EPC to market each property, and buyers will ask for current certificates in the sale pack.
• Low-value homes. The 10% cap for homes under £100,000 limits the maximum spend, which can make cheaper properties more saleable to investors.

The 2030 deadline is one of the main reasons landlords give for deciding to sell, alongside the Decent Homes Standard.

Official Sources and Further Reading

• GOV.UK: Domestic private rented property minimum energy efficiency standard
• GOV.UK: Find an energy certificate
• GOV.UK: Warm Homes Plan

General information for landlords in England, checked against official sources in October 2026. It is not tax, legal or financial advice: speak to a qualified accountant or solicitor about your own circumstances.