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Post updated: October 16th, 2025
KEY INFORMATION
Quick summary: Landlords must ensure their rental properties meet a minimum EPC rating of C by 2030, under government proposals for England and Wales. The average cost of these upgrades is estimated by the government to be £6,100-£6,800, with a proposed £15,000 cost cap.
| Requirement | Current rule | New proposal (2030) |
|---|---|---|
| Min EPC rating for landlords | E (unless valid exemption) | C (unless valid exemption) |
| Cost cap | £3,500 | £15,000 (£10,000 affordability exemption) |
| Consultation | – | Feb-May 2025 |
| Applies to | All private rented homes | All private rented homes from 2030 |
An EPC – or Energy Performance Certificate – ranks properties in terms of energy efficiency from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient). You need an EPC when you’re selling a house or renting out a property.
For landlords, there’s an extra requirement: your property will need to have a minimum EPC rating for you to legally let it out (unless you have a valid exemption).
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Here are the current EPC rules for landlords in England and Wales, plus the proposed changes.
The proposals were widely expected as Ed Milliband had pledged to consult on the issue in his keynote speech at the 2024 Labour Party conference.
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The average cost to landlords of upgrading their properties is estimated by the government to be between £6,100 and £6,800 by 2030.
The consultation acknowledges that there are a number of reasons why some households might not be able to make improvements such as issues surrounding listed buildings. As soon as a list of exemptions is confirmed, we’ll update this page.
These plans are likely to have a widespread impact on landlords if they go ahead; around 2.9 million privately rented homes are thought to have energy efficiency ratings below C, according to research by Savills.
Yes. If you are a landlord and your EPC has expired, you will need a new one when you plan to market the property to new tenants. This applies to all properties you plan to let out.
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At this stage, these are proposals on EPC changes, not law. However, the plans are widely expected to come into effect and by acting now you’ll be better prepared.
Also, improving your property’s energy-efficiency rating can boost its value and make it more desirable for tenants, so you may be able to achieve a higher rent when you let it out too.
Here are the steps you can take to prepare for these proposed EPC changes for landlords:
If you don’t know the EPC rating of your rental properties then check them. You can search for your property on the government’s EPC register.
When you check your certificate, note the ‘SAP’ score too. This number indicates whereabouts within the EPC band your property currently sits. If you’re already very close to the next band up, it could be that by making some simple changes like installing energy-efficient lighting you may move up a band. Read our guide on the top projects to make your home more energy efficient.
Look into whether it’s worth taking advantage of the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. In September 2023, the government announced the Boiler Upgrade Grant would be increased by 50% to £7,500 to help homeowners who want to replace their gas boilers with a more efficient heat pump.
If you think you’ll need to undertake quite major work, it’s a good idea to think about how you’ll fund it sooner rather than later.
And when you’re borrowing to pay for improvements to your property’s energy efficiency, a green mortgage could be a good option.
But as always with mortgages you’ll want to make a fully informed decision. So to find out what’s the right option for you get fee-free advice from our partners at award-winning mortgage brokers L&C.
Get fee free mortgage advice from our partners at L&C. Use the online mortgage finder or speak to an advisor today.
Generally, property improvements intended to boost the EPC rating are classed as ‘capital expenditure’ and not repairs and maintenance, so they can’t be written off against rental profits to reduce your tax bill. But always get tax advice for your circumstances.
Landlords must give at least 24 hours’ written notice of any property visits. As an EPC is a legal requirement, most tenants will happily oblige, but some may want to be present when the assessor visits.
Yes. As a tenant you are entitled to see the property’s EPC and you must be given a copy when you move in. However, you can check the property’s EPC yourself by checking the government’s EPC register in England and Wales. For properties in Scotland check the Scottish EPC register and similarly the Northern Ireland EPC register.
If you own a rental property with poor energy efficiency, you may be considering whether to upgrade your property or cut your losses and sell your Buy to Let property.
Here’s what to weigh up:
There are various exemptions that apply to the prohibition on letting a property with an energy efficiency rating below E.
If your property meets the criteria for any of the exemptions, you will be able to let it once you have registered the exemption on the PRS Exemptions Register.
Changes to energy performance certificates are also planned and a separate consultation is running regarding this. It runs until 26 February 2026 and you can see the details on the Government’s website.
Once completed the EPC is valid for 10 years. However, when it expires you only need to get a new one if you’re setting up a new tenancy agreement or selling your property.
EPC ratings affect landlords in several ways:
– Legal compliance – you can’t let out a property below the legal EPC threshold, unless you have a valid exemption.
– Tenant demand – renters increasingly prefer energy-efficient homes.
– Property value – homes with better EPC ratings generally sell for more than equivalent properties with poor energy efficiency.
Possibly. It seems likely that some landlords will sell up rather than pay to improve their properties.
Yes, potentially. If your property has a high EPC rating (generally A or B) you may get access to green mortgages, which may give you access to lower rates or cashback and bigger loans.
While other lenders offer lower rates or cashback if you make energy-efficiency improvements or if you take out additional borrowing to pay for measures to improve your home’s energy efficiency. Find out more in our guide on Green mortgages. However, green mortgages aren’t always the cheapest option, so always speak to a fee-free mortgage broker to explore all your options.
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