EPC C by 2030: What Landlords Need to Do

The short version

• Today: private lets in England need EPC band E or above. Maximum fine £5,000 per property.
• Private landlords: band C from 1 October 2030, announced 21 January 2026, with a £10,000 cost cap. It still needs legislation.
• Social landlords: band C (or equivalent) by 1 April 2030, confirmed 28 January 2026, also with a £10,000 cost cap.
• First step: find out your real starting band with an up-to-date EPC.

What the rules are today

Under the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES), a privately rented home in England or Wales needs an EPC of band E or above before it can be let, unless the landlord has registered a valid exemption. The current exemption cost cap is £3,500, and the maximum penalty is £5,000 per property. An EPC lasts ten years, and you must have a valid one before marketing a home to let.

What changes for private landlords

On 21 January 2026 the government set out its plan to raise the minimum to band C from 1 October 2030. The key points announced:

• one date, 1 October 2030, for both new and existing tenancies;
• a cost cap of £10,000 per property, with spending from 1 October 2025 counting towards it;
• compliance measured mainly on the fabric of the building (insulation, glazing and so on), with a second measure based on the heating system or smart readiness;
• a proposed maximum penalty of £30,000 per property.

This is announced policy rather than law. Parliament still has to pass the powers and regulations, so details could change. But the direction is clear, and the landlords who plan early will get the best choice of contractors and prices.

What changes for social landlords

On 28 January 2026 the government confirmed that all new and existing social rented homes must reach EPC C, or an equivalent standard, by 1 April 2030 unless a valid exemption is registered. Compliance can be shown against a fabric, heating system or smart readiness metric. Spending is capped at £10,000 per property, with a time-limited deferral if a home still falls short after that, and a second metric applies from 1 April 2039. For housing associations with thousands of homes, an accurate EPC for every property is the only reliable way to plan and budget that programme. See our bulk EPC surveys for housing associations.

How to plan without overspending

1. Get an accurate EPC. Many existing certificates are years old or miss improvements already made. A new assessment can move a home up a band on its own.
2. Read the recommendations. The EPC lists the measures that would raise the rating and roughly how many points each is worth.
3. Start with the cheapest points. Loft insulation, heating controls, low-energy lighting and draught-proofing are often the quickest gains.
4. Watch London's older stock. Solid-wall Victorian and Edwardian terraces, and flats where the freeholder controls the walls and roof, usually need more planning than modern homes.
5. Keep records of what you spend. If a home cannot reach C within the cap, you will need evidence to register an exemption.

We carry out domestic EPCs and MEES advice for landlords across London and the South East, and can do the EICR in the same visit.