Guide

EPC rules for rented homes: band E now, plans for 2030

A rented home in England needs an EPC and must meet a minimum rating. The rules in force today are set out first. The plans for 2030 are kept apart because they are not law yet.

Not legal advice. Every figure on this page states what the linked gov.uk page says.

Written and checked by Will Roxby. Updated .

Band E is the minimum now

Since 1 April 2020 a landlord cannot let or continue to let a property covered by the rules with an EPC rating below E. The exception is a property with a registered exemption.

Source: GOV.UK: Domestic private rented property: minimum energy efficiency standard, landlord guidance, checked on 13 October 2026.

The spending cap

You do not have to spend more than £3,500 including VAT on energy efficiency improvements. Money spent on energy efficiency since 1 October 2017 counts towards it.

Source: GOV.UK: Domestic private rented property: minimum energy efficiency standard, landlord guidance, checked on 13 October 2026.

Exemptions

Exemptions go on the PRS Exemptions Register. GOV.UK lists these:

  • all relevant improvements have been made and the property is still below E
  • high cost: the cheapest recommended measure would go over the cap
  • wall insulation that written expert advice says would harm the building
  • third-party consent that is refused or comes with conditions you cannot reasonably meet
  • devaluation of more than 5%, shown by a RICS surveyor's report
  • a temporary exemption for someone who has recently become a landlord

Source: GOV.UK: Domestic private rented property: minimum energy efficiency standard, landlord guidance, checked on 13 October 2026.

How long an exemption lasts

Most exemptions last 5 years. The exemption for a new landlord lasts 6 months from the date you became the landlord.

Source: GOV.UK: Domestic private rented property: minimum energy efficiency standard, landlord guidance, checked on 13 October 2026.

Penalties

GOV.UK lists these maximum penalties for each property. Each can come with publication of the breach.

  • up to £2,000 for letting a property below the standard for less than 3 months
  • up to £4,000 for letting it for 3 months or more
  • up to £1,000 for false or misleading information on the PRS Exemptions Register
  • up to £2,000 for not complying with a compliance notice
  • up to £5,000 in total for each property

Source: GOV.UK: Domestic private rented property: minimum energy efficiency standard, landlord guidance, checked on 13 October 2026.

The EPC itself

You need an EPC to rent out a property. Order it before you market the property. GOV.UK says an EPC lasts for 10 years.

Give a prospective tenant a free copy at the earliest opportunity. The latest point is when you first give them written information about the property or when they view it, whichever comes first. The person who becomes the tenant must have been given one.

The penalty charge for breaking this duty for a dwelling is £200.

Sources: GOV.UK: Energy Performance Certificates, checked on 10 October 2026; legislation.gov.uk: Energy Performance of Buildings (England and Wales) Regulations 2012, regulation 6, checked on 13 October 2026; legislation.gov.uk: Energy Performance of Buildings (England and Wales) Regulations 2012, regulation 38, checked on 13 October 2026.

What the register asks for

The draft Private Rented Sector Database Regulations ask whether you had to give an EPC. If you did, they ask for a copy of the most recent one. These regulations are still in draft.

Sources: legislation.gov.uk: Draft Private Rented Sector Database Regulations 2026, checked on 13 October 2026; GOV.UK housing hub: Get ready to register, checked on 13 October 2026.

What is planned for 2030 (not yet law)

None of this section is law. In its January 2026 response the government says it will seek new powers through an Act of Parliament and then update the regulations. Both need Parliament's approval. The response sets out these plans:

  • EPC C or an equivalent for all tenancies by 1 October 2030
  • a cost cap of up to £10,000 for each property
  • a lower cap of 10% of the value for a property worth less than £100,000
  • spending on measures installed since 1 October 2025 would count towards the cap
  • a maximum penalty of £30,000 per breach for each property
  • a home with an EPC rated C or better issued before 1 October 2029 would count until that EPC expires or is replaced

Source: GOV.UK: Improving the energy performance of privately rented homes: government response, checked on 13 October 2026.

Sources

Each source shows the date it was last checked. Each guide states what the linked official source says, with the dates and nothing more. England only.

Read next