EPC C by 2030: the facts for landlords
- Deadline: 1 October 2030 for all tenancies, no earlier date for new lets
- Standard: EPC C on the new fabric metric, plus heating or smart readiness
- Cost cap: £10,000 per property, spend since 1 October 2025 counts
- Fines: up to £30,000 per breach, per property
- Confirmed by the government on 21 January 2026
What has been confirmed
On 21 January 2026 the government published its response to the consultation Improving the energy performance of privately rented homes. It sets out the standard that private landlords in England and Wales will have to meet. The figures below are taken from that response and its impact assessment. Nothing on this page is a prediction.
| Item | Confirmed position |
|---|---|
| Deadline | 1 October 2030 for all tenancies in scope. No earlier date for new tenancies. |
| Who it applies to | Privately rented homes in England and Wales: about 5.1 million properties, 19% of the housing stock. |
| The standard | EPC band C measured on the reformed EPC. First the fabric performance metric, then either the heating system metric or the smart readiness metric, at the landlord’s choice. |
| Cost cap | £10,000 per property, including VAT. Reduced from the £15,000 proposed in the 2025 consultation. |
| Lower-value homes | Where the property is worth under £100,000, the cap is 10% of its value if that is lower than £10,000. |
| Spend that counts | Relevant measures installed since 1 October 2025, reasonable EPC assessment costs, and third-party funding other than the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. |
| Exemptions | Cost cap, property value and negative impacts exemptions last 10 years. A separate solid wall insulation exemption is confirmed. Other existing MEES exemptions are retained. |
| Existing EPCs | A property rated C or above on the Energy Efficiency Rating of an EPC issued before 1 October 2029 is compliant until that EPC expires or is replaced. |
| Maximum fine | £30,000 per breach, per property. The current MEES maximum is £5,000. |
| Legislation | Government aims for the regulations to come into force in 2027. Until then the legal minimum remains EPC E. |
| Short-term lets | Not required to comply at this time. Position under review. |
The timeline
- 7 February to 2 May 2025: Consultation runs. It proposes EPC C for new tenancies by 2028 and all tenancies by 2030, with a £15,000 cost cap.
- 1 October 2025: Start date from which spending on relevant improvements counts towards the cost cap.
- 21 January 2026: Government response published. Single deadline of 2030 confirmed, cost cap set at £10,000, fine raised to £30,000. A consultation on the Home Energy Model, the calculation behind the new EPC, opens the same day and closes 18 March 2026.
- October 2026: Government’s target date for the reformed EPC format to be in use. The response describes this timeline as ambitious.
- Late 2026 and 2028: The two stages of the private rented sector database created by the Renters’ Rights Act 2025, which councils will use alongside the EPC register and the exemptions register to check compliance.
- 2027: Target for the MEES regulations to come into force.
- 1 October 2029: Last date for an EPC rated C on the legacy Energy Efficiency Rating to count as compliant for the life of that certificate.
- 1 October 2030: Compliance deadline for every tenancy in scope.
- After 1 October 2030: First five-yearly review of the cost cap.
What “EPC C” will mean on the new certificate
Today’s EPC has one headline rating, the Energy Efficiency Rating (EER), based on modelled energy cost. The reformed EPC will carry four headline metrics: energy cost, fabric performance, heating system and smart readiness. The 2030 standard is set against two of them.
- Primary: fabric performance. Insulation, glazing, air tightness. Landlords must first invest towards a C on this metric.
- Secondary: heating system or smart readiness. Once the fabric standard is met, or a valid exemption is registered, the landlord invests towards a C on one of these two. The heating system metric covers space heating, hot water and cooling. The smart readiness metric covers the property’s ability to generate and manage its own energy, typically solar panels and batteries. The choice is the landlord’s.
- Not yet fixed: the exact score that will count as a C on each new metric. The government has said it will confirm this once the Home Energy Model methodology is finalised.
The legacy EER will be kept on the new certificate to support the transition, which is why an existing C on the EER counts until 1 October 2029.
The cost cap in numbers
- £10,000 maximum a landlord must spend per property, including VAT.
- 10% of value for properties worth less than £100,000, where that is lower. The government calls this the Property Value Adjustment.
- £5,400 is the average spend per property the impact assessment expects (£5,387 under the preferred option).
- 1.75 million properties are expected to receive improvement measures by 2030.
- 55% of privately rented homes in England were rated below EER band C in 2023.
- £210 a year is the average energy bill saving the impact assessment projects for tenants in upgraded homes, at 2030 prices in 2025 pounds.
- Around 3% of upgraded properties are expected to spend between £9,000 and £10,000, according to the impact assessment’s cost distribution.
Spending counts from 1 October 2025, so improvements made now are not wasted. Keep invoices: they are the evidence for a cost cap exemption if the property still falls short.
Exemptions
An exemption is registered on the PRS Exemptions Register and must be renewed when it lapses. The response confirms the following.
- Cost cap exemption, 10 years: the landlord has spent up to the cap and the property still does not meet the standard.
- Property value exemption, 10 years: the 10% of value cap has been reached on a property worth under £100,000.
- Negative impacts exemption, 10 years: installing the measures would damage the fabric or structure of the building.
- Solid wall insulation exemption: a standalone category for landlords who choose not to install solid wall insulation.
- Retained from current MEES: high cost, third-party consent, all relevant improvements made, and a simplified new landlord exemption. These typically last five years.
- Under exploration, not confirmed: a portfolio approach for larger landlords, where the cost cap could be pooled across several properties.
See our guide to MEES exemptions for how the current register works.
What happens to your current EPC
- Rated C or above now: if the EPC was issued before 1 October 2029, the property is compliant until that certificate expires or is replaced. EPCs last 10 years.
- Rated D or below: the property will need a new EPC in the reformed format showing the new metrics, then the works, then a post-works EPC before 1 October 2030. Reasonable assessment costs count towards the cap.
- No valid EPC: one is already required by law to let a property. A new assessment tells you the current rating and lists the recommended measures with indicative costs.
Enforcement and penalties
- £30,000 maximum penalty per breach, per property, issued by the local authority. Fines can also be issued for false or misleading entries on the exemptions register.
- Who enforces: local authorities, as now. The government is exploring Primary Authority powers so that a landlord with properties in several councils can deal with one.
- How they will find you: the Renters’ Rights Act database of private rented homes, cross-checked against the EPC register and the exemptions register.
- Still to come: detailed guidance on fines and enforcement.
What is not decided
- The exact score on each new metric that will count as a C.
- Whether a portfolio exemption for larger landlords will exist and how it would work.
- Whether short-term lets will be brought into scope. The government intends to take a power to do so later.
- Whether letting agents and portals will be barred from advertising non-compliant homes. Not being implemented at this time.
- The final text of the regulations. They have not yet been laid before Parliament.
What landlords can do now
- Check the current rating at gov.uk/find-energy-certificate. It is free and shows the expiry date.
- If the EPC is more than a few years old or improvements have been made since, a new assessment gives an accurate starting point and a current list of recommended measures. A C on an EPC issued before 1 October 2029 carries the property through to the deadline.
- Keep every invoice dated on or after 1 October 2025 for insulation, glazing, heating and similar works. That spend counts towards the £10,000 cap.
- Read the recommendations page of the EPC. It lists measures in order of impact with indicative costs. Our guide to improving an EPC rating explains which ones usually move a property from D to C.
Frequently asked questions
When is the EPC C deadline for landlords?
1 October 2030. All tenancies within scope of the regulations must meet the standard by that date. The government response of 21 January 2026 states there will not be an earlier compliance date for new tenancies.
Does the EPC C rule apply to existing tenancies or only new ones?
Both. The single deadline of 1 October 2030 applies to all privately rented homes in England and Wales, whether the tenancy started before or after that date. The earlier proposal of 2028 for new tenancies was dropped.
What is the cost cap for EPC C by 2030?
£10,000 per property, including VAT. For a property valued below £100,000 the cap is 10% of the property's value if that is lower. Money spent on relevant measures since 1 October 2025 counts towards the cap, as do reasonable EPC assessment costs and third-party funding other than the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
What happens if my property cannot reach EPC C?
If you have spent up to the cost cap and the property still does not meet the standard, you can register a cost cap exemption on the PRS Exemptions Register. It lasts 10 years. Other exemptions cover negative impacts on the building, solid wall insulation, third-party consent, high cost and new landlords.
Will my current EPC still count?
If the property scores C or higher on the Energy Efficiency Rating shown on an EPC issued before 1 October 2029, it is treated as compliant until that EPC expires or is replaced. Properties that do not meet that test will need a new EPC in the reformed format to show compliance.
What is the fine for not meeting EPC C by 2030?
Local authorities will be able to issue a maximum penalty of £30,000 per breach for each non-compliant property. Fines can also be issued for false or misleading information on the MEES Exemptions Register. Detailed enforcement guidance is still to be published.
Is the EPC C by 2030 rule law yet?
Not yet. The policy was confirmed in the government response published on 21 January 2026. The government has said it will seek to lay the legislation so that it comes into force in 2027. Until then the legal minimum for letting remains EPC E under the existing MEES regulations.
Sources
- Improving the energy performance of privately rented homes: government response, Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, 21 January 2026.
- Improving the energy performance of privately rented homes: impact assessment, DESNZ, January 2026.
- Consultation document, DESNZ, 7 February 2025.
Last checked against the government response on 21 September 2026. This page describes confirmed policy; it is not legal advice.
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