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Will my rental property pass the minimum EPC standard?
Look up a rented home in England or Wales and compare its energy certificate band with the minimum standard for letting. We show what is law today separately from what the government has only proposed.
Check a property
We read the public energy certificate register (England and Wales only). The certificate we find may be old, may pre-date improvements, and is not proof of what applies to your tenancy.
Law today versus proposed
| Law today (England and Wales) | Proposed, NOT yet law | |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum EPC | Band E. Properties rated F or G cannot be let, or continue to be let, unless improved to E or a valid exemption is registered. | An EPC C equivalent, measured on new-style EPCs (a fabric performance standard plus the landlord’s choice of a heating-system or smart-readiness standard). |
| When | New tenancies since 1 April 2018; all covered tenancies since 1 April 2020. | All tenancies by 1 October 2030. The government response (21 January 2026) dropped the idea of an earlier date for new tenancies. Legislation is planned to be laid with the aim of it coming into force in 2027, subject to Parliament. |
| Spending limit | You do not have to spend more than £3,500 including VAT on improvements. If the property is still below E after that, an exemption can be registered. | A proposed cap of £10,000 per property, with 10-year exemptions. |
| Existing EPC C | Not relevant today: E is the minimum. | Homes rated C or better on the current EPC measure before 1 October 2029 would be treated as compliant until that EPC expires. |
| Penalties | Set by the local authority, up to £5,000 in total per property under the current regulations. | A proposed maximum of £30,000 per property per breach. |
| Status | In force. | Decisions announced by government, but they still need new legislation. Details, including how “C” is measured on new EPCs, could change. |
Who is covered today?
The regulations apply to domestic properties let on an assured, regulated or domestic agricultural tenancy that legally need an EPC. If you let a property with an F or G rating that is covered, you must improve it to at least E or register a valid exemption. Exemptions that exist today include “all relevant improvements made”, “high cost”, wall insulation, third-party consent, property devaluation and a temporary six-month exemption for new landlords. Most last five years. See the GOV.UK guidance for the evidence each one needs.
Things this page cannot know
- Whether your tenancy type is covered, or whether an exemption applies.
- Whether the certificate is still valid. An EPC normally lasts ten years, and work done since is not on it.
- What the new-style EPC will say. The proposed standard uses different measures from today’s single band, so a home near the line could land either side of it.
- Scotland and Northern Ireland, which have their own rules and their own registers.
Sources, and where to check current rules
- GOV.UK: Domestic private rented property minimum energy efficiency standard, landlord guidance (the current law in plain English)
- GOV.UK: Improving the energy performance of privately rented homes, government response (21 January 2026) (the proposals)
- legislation.gov.uk: The Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property) (England and Wales) Regulations 2015
- GOV.UK: Find an energy certificate
Not legal advice. If you are unsure, check with your local authority’s private sector housing team or take independent advice.
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