EPC rules for rental properties: what changes by 2030
Today a rented home in England needs a valid EPC rated E or above, unless an exemption is registered. The government has confirmed that all private tenancies will need to reach EPC C by 1 October 2030, with a cost cap of £10,000 per property and no earlier date for new tenancies (GOV.UK government response, January 2026).
What are the EPC rules for landlords today?
- You need an EPC when you rent out a property, and you must order it before you market the property to tenants. An EPC is valid for 10 years (GOV.UK energy performance certificates).
- Since 1 April 2020 you cannot let, or continue to let, a covered property rated F or G unless a valid exemption is registered. Covered tenancies are assured, regulated and domestic agricultural tenancies where the property legally needs an EPC (GOV.UK minimum energy efficiency standard guidance).
- The current cost cap for reaching E is £3,500 including VAT. Most current exemptions last 5 years.
- The current maximum penalty is £5,000 per property, made up of separate penalties for different breaches.
You can check the rating and expiry date of any existing certificate, and download it free, on the find an energy certificate service.
What changes on 1 October 2030?
The government response published in January 2026 confirms that private landlords of all tenancies must meet the higher standard by 1 October 2030. Key points:
- EPC C, measured on new metrics. You will first need to meet a fabric performance standard (how well the building keeps heat in). You then meet a second standard of your choice: either heating system or smart readiness.
- No earlier date for new tenancies. The response says plainly that there will not be an earlier compliance date for new tenancies. So there is no separate 2028 deadline for new lets.
- Higher fines. Councils will be able to issue compliance and penalty notices, with a maximum fine of £30,000 per property per breach.
- Not law yet. The response says the government will lay the legislation, aiming for regulations to come into force in 2027. Check the date again before you rely on it.
Does an EPC C I get now still count?
Yes, if you get it in time. A home with an EPC rated C or above under the current energy efficiency rating, issued before 1 October 2029, will be treated as meeting the new standard until that EPC expires or is replaced (government response).
An EPC lasts 10 years, so a C rating issued in 2029 could cover you until 2039. Replacing it early with a new certificate ends that protection, so keep track of the expiry date. The free certificate renewal date calculator works it out for you.
How does the £10,000 cost cap work?
- The cap is £10,000 per property, spread over a 10-year period. The government estimates the average spend will be about £5,400.
- Recommended measures installed since 1 October 2025 count towards it.
- Third-party funding such as the Warm Homes: Local Grant and ECO4 counts. Boiler Upgrade Scheme grants do not.
- Reasonable costs of EPC assessments before and after works count, and so may some specialist retrofit advice. The amounts are still to be set.
- For lower-value homes, the property value adjustment caps spending at 10% of the value where that is less than £10,000, so below £100,000.
All of this is from the January 2026 government response. Keep invoices for every measure from 1 October 2025, as you will need evidence to register a cost cap exemption.
What exemptions will there be?
The January 2026 government response lists the exemptions planned for the 2030 standard. They are policy, not yet law, and the details will be set in regulations.
| Exemption | When it applies | How long it lasts |
|---|---|---|
| Cost cap | You have spent up to the cap, or the next measure would take you over it | 10 years |
| Property value adjustment | Lower-value homes: the cap becomes the lower of £10,000 or 10% of the property’s value | 10 years |
| High cost | The cheapest recommended improvement costs more than the cap, including VAT | Typically 5 years |
| All relevant improvements made | No further recommended improvements can be made | Typically 5 years |
| Solid wall insulation | You decline solid wall insulation where it is the only measure left | Typically 5 years |
| Negative impacts | A measure would have evidenced negative effects (this replaces the separate devaluation and wall insulation exemptions) | 10 years |
| Third-party consent | Consent you need, for example from a tenant or a superior landlord, is refused | Typically 5 years |
| New landlord | You have recently become the landlord of a let property | 6 months |
Exemptions are registered on the PRS Exemptions Register, which the public can search. Giving false or misleading information on an exemption can itself lead to a fine (GOV.UK landlord guidance).
Do short lets and holiday lets need EPC C?
Not at the moment. The government response says short-term lets are not required to meet the 2030 standard at this time, and the position is under review.
That is separate from whether a holiday let needs an EPC at all. GOV.UK tells holiday let owners to check whether they need an EPC. See our holiday let checks.
EPC rules timeline
| Date | What happens | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 1 April 2020 | Minimum EPC E applies to all covered tenancies, with a £3,500 cost cap | In force (GOV.UK) |
| 1 October 2025 | Spending on recommended measures from this date counts towards the future £10,000 cap | Policy (government response) |
| October 2026 | Government aimed to start delivering new-style EPCs, which it called an ambitious timeline | Aim, not a fixed date |
| 2027 | Regulations for the 2030 standard aimed to come into force | Aim, not yet law |
| Before 1 October 2029 | Last date to get an EPC rated C or above under the current rating that will count until it expires | Policy |
| 1 October 2030 | All private tenancies must meet EPC C (or have a registered exemption) | Policy, confirmed in the Decent Homes Standard policy statement |
What should landlords do now?
- Look up each property on the find an energy certificate service and note the rating and expiry date.
- If a property is E or below, read the recommendations on its EPC and price the cheapest route to C.
- If you are close to C, consider getting a new EPC before 1 October 2029, so it counts until it expires.
- Keep receipts for any improvement work from 1 October 2025.
- Remember the EPC is one of the documents the landlord database asks for, along with gas and electrical certificates.
Not sure what else applies to your property? Try the free landlord compliance checker.