EPC Rules for Landlords in England and Wales: Minimum Rating, Expiry and Penalties

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As of 2026, to rent out a home in England or Wales you need a valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), which lasts 10 years. If the property is covered by the minimum standard, its rating must be E or better unless you've registered a valid exemption. You don't have to spend more than £3,500 including VAT on improvements.

This page covers England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland have separate rules.

Do you need an EPC to rent out a property?

Yes. GOV.UK says you must have an EPC when you rent out a property, and you must order one for potential tenants before you market it. The landlord or letting agent must show the EPC to anyone renting. You can be fined if you don't get one when you need one.

An EPC rates a property from A (best) to G (worst), lists typical energy use and costs, and recommends improvements. It's valid for 10 years. You can check whether yours is still valid, and download it for free, on the government's "find an energy certificate" service. If your property doesn't show up there, you may need a new one. A new EPC must come from an accredited assessor, and you pay for it.

A few property types don't need an EPC, including temporary buildings used for under 2 years, small stand-alone buildings under 50 square metres, and certain listed buildings where the work to meet minimum standards would unacceptably alter their character. Holiday lets rented out for under 4 months a year are also on the list.

The minimum rating: EPC band E

The Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES) applies to domestic private rented properties that are let on specific types of tenancy and are legally required to have an EPC. Since 1 April 2020, landlords can't let or continue to let a covered property with an EPC rating below E (so F or G) unless a valid exemption is in place.

If you plan to let an F or G property, improve it to E or register an exemption before the tenancy starts. If it's empty and you're not planning to let it, you don't need to act until you decide to let it again.

The £3,500 cost cap

You don't have to spend more than £3,500 (including VAT) on improvements to reach band E. If you can get to E for less, that's all you need to spend. If you can't get to E for £3,500, you install every recommended measure that fits within the cap and then register an "all relevant improvements made" exemption.

Improvements you've made since 1 October 2017 count toward the cap. If you get third-party funding (such as Energy Company Obligation funding, local authority grants or Green Deal finance) that covers the full cost, the cap doesn't apply.

Pick measures from your EPC's recommendations list. If you choose something else and it doesn't get you to E, you can't use the "all relevant improvements made" exemption.

Exemptions

Exemptions go on the PRS Exemptions Register (you'll need a One Login account and evidence). Most last 5 years, after which you have to try again. The types are:

  • all relevant improvements made (but still below E),
  • high cost (even the cheapest recommended measure would cost over £3,500, shown by three installer quotes),
  • wall insulation (expert advice that it would damage the property),
  • third-party consent (for example a tenant or freeholder refuses and you couldn't reasonably get consent),
  • property devaluation (an independent RICS surveyor says improvements would cut the value by more than 5%),
  • a 6-month temporary exemption for people who have just become a landlord in certain circumstances.

The register is searchable by the public.

Penalties

Local authorities enforce MEES. They can serve a compliance notice and then a financial penalty and/or publish details of the breach. The maximums per property are:

  • up to £2,000 for letting a non-compliant property for under 3 months,
  • up to £4,000 for 3 months or more,
  • up to £1,000 for false or misleading information on the exemptions register,
  • up to £2,000 for not complying with a compliance notice.

The total per property is capped at £5,000. You can ask for a review and appeal to the First-tier Tribunal.

What might change

GOV.UK says the government has committed to look at raising standards, aiming for as many privately rented homes as possible to reach EPC band C or equivalent by 2030. It says it's exploring policy design options following a 2026 consultation. That's not a current legal requirement, so check GOV.UK before planning work around it.

Keeping the EPC where you can find it

The EPC is the certificate you only think about at a re-let. Save the PDF with the date it was issued, note when it expires, and keep any exemption evidence with it. Gaffy keeps each property's documents together so they're there when a tenant or council asks. The EPC reminder page is the short version of the 10-year validity, the minimum rating, and how those emails are sent. It's free for the first month, with no card.

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Related guides

EPC FAQs

How long does an EPC last?

An EPC is valid for 10 years. You can check whether a property has a valid one, and download it free, on the government's find an energy certificate service. If it doesn't appear there, you may need a new certificate.

What EPC rating do I need to rent out a property?

For properties covered by the minimum standard in England and Wales, the rating must be E or above. Since 1 April 2020 you can't let or keep letting an F or G property unless you have a valid exemption.

How much do I have to spend to reach EPC E?

No more than £3,500 including VAT. If you can reach E for less, you only spend that. If you can't, you make the recommended improvements up to the cap and register an exemption.

What is the penalty for letting a property below EPC E?

Up to £2,000 if let in breach for under 3 months, and up to £4,000 for 3 months or more. The total per property is capped at £5,000, and details may be published.

Sources

All fetched and read on 9 Oct 2026.

General information, not legal advice. Last checked 9 October 2026.