From 1 October 2030, every privately rented home in England and Wales is to meet a higher energy standard, the equivalent of EPC C, unless an exemption is registered. Until then the legal minimum stays at band E. The government set this out in its response of 21 January 2026, and it needs Parliament’s approval before it becomes law.
What has been decided
- One date for everyone. All tenancies, old and new, must comply by 1 October 2030. There is no earlier date for new lets.
- A spending cap of £10,000 per property. That is the most a landlord can be required to spend over ten years. Grants count towards it, except the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, and so does money spent on qualifying work installed since 1 October 2025. The government estimates the average spend at £5,400.
- A C you already have can count. A rented home rated C or above on an EPC lodged before 1 October 2029 counts as meeting the new standard until that certificate expires or is replaced.
- Bigger fines. Councils will be able to fine up to £30,000 per property for each breach, up from £5,000 today. That part needs new primary legislation.
- Short-term lets are out, for now. They are not covered, though the government wants the power to bring them in later.
The standard is not just a letter
Today’s EPC has one headline number, the energy efficiency rating. New EPCs will have four: energy cost, fabric performance, heating system and smart readiness. The 2030 standard for rented homes is built on two of them:
- Fabric first. The landlord has to work towards a fabric performance standard, which is about insulation, windows and the building itself.
- Then a choice. Once the fabric standard is met, or exempted, the landlord picks either a heating system standard or a smart readiness standard.
The point of the choice is that nobody should be forced to rip out a working boiler for a heat pump. The government has said that a home which cannot take any of the recommended measures for smart readiness will not be required to meet the heating system standard instead. Exactly what “C” will mean on the new EPCs is still to be confirmed.
Two routes for a landlord
Route one: a C on today’s EPC, before 1 October 2029
If the home reaches C on the current rating and that EPC is lodged before 1 October 2029, it counts as meeting the 2030 standard until the certificate expires or is replaced. For a home that is already close, this is the simplest path.
Route two: the new EPCs
If the home is not rated C before 1 October 2029, the plan is that you commission a new-style EPC before starting any work, carry out the improvements it points to, then commission another EPC afterwards to show the home complies, all before 1 October 2030. Reasonable EPC costs count towards the £10,000 cap.
| Since 1 October 2025 | Spending on qualifying improvements counts towards the £10,000 cap, once the rules apply |
|---|---|
| 21 January 2026 | Government response published |
| Second half of 2027 | New-style EPCs launch (moved in March 2026 from October 2026) |
| 2027 (the aim) | Regulations come into force, after new powers from Parliament |
| Before 1 October 2029 | Last date to lodge an EPC rated C that counts until it expires |
| 1 October 2030 | Every tenancy must comply, or have an exemption registered |
Sources: GOV.UK, “Improving the energy performance of privately rented homes: 2025 update”, government response, 21 January 2026; “Reforms to the Energy Performance of Buildings regime”, update of 9 March 2026. All subject to Parliamentary approval.
Exemptions
Exemptions stay, and there will be more of them. An exemption is measure by measure: registering one does not excuse you from the other improvements you can make within the cap. The planned list:
- High cost: even the cheapest recommended improvement would cost more than the cap, including VAT.
- All relevant improvements made: nothing further can be done, and the home is still below the standard.
- Cost cap: you have spent up to £10,000 and the next measure would take you over. Valid for ten years.
- Property value adjustment: for homes worth under £100,000, the cap is 10% of the value instead. Valid for ten years.
- Solid wall insulation: you can choose not to fit it where it is the only measure left.
- Negative impacts: evidence that a measure would harm the fabric or structure of the building. Valid for ten years.
- Third-party consent: a tenant, a superior landlord or the planning authority refuses permission.
- New landlord: six months’ grace after buying a home with a tenant already in it.
The others typically last five years. Exemptions have to be registered to count, as today; believing you qualify is not enough.
What I would do now
- Check the current rating. Look up the address on the government’s find an energy certificate service and note the score, not just the letter. A high D is a very different position from a low one; the bands explain why.
- Find out what would lift it. An Improvement Plan with the next EPC, or an EPC pre-assessment with nothing lodged, shows what is holding the home back and which improvements would help.
- Keep every receipt from 1 October 2025. Money spent on qualifying work since then is due to count towards the cap.
- Use accredited installers. The government recommends TrustMark registered businesses, MCS certified installers where relevant, and work done to PAS 2030 and 2035.
Meanwhile, band E still applies today: the rules for landlords cover it, with the current exemptions.
Common questions
When do rented homes need to be EPC C?
By 1 October 2030, for every tenancy, under the plans the government confirmed on 21 January 2026. They still need Parliament’s approval.
Is EPC C by 2030 law yet?
No. The government needs new powers from Parliament and then regulations, planned to take effect in 2027. Until then the legal minimum is band E.
How much will landlords have to spend?
No more than £10,000 per property over ten years, including grants other than the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. The government estimates the average at £5,400.
Does an EPC rated C now count for 2030?
Yes, if the home is rated C or above on an EPC lodged before 1 October 2029. It counts until that certificate expires or is replaced.
What is the fine for missing the 2030 standard?
The plan is up to £30,000 per property for each breach, which needs new legislation. Today’s maximum for band E is £5,000.
Where to go next
EPC rules for landlords today, how homes in each London borough score, and booking an EPC for a rented home.