An Energy Performance Certificate rates a home's energy efficiency from A, the best, to G, the worst. For landlords it's more than a label: it decides whether you can legally let the property. The minimum today is E. From 1 October 2030 it rises to C, measured in a new way.
D is the most common rating among privately rented homes, so this is a change many landlords will need to plan for. Here's what you need to know.
How to check your EPC rating
Every EPC is on the government's register. Search by postcode using Find an energy certificate on GOV.UK to see the current rating, when it expires and the improvements the assessor recommended.
An EPC lasts 10 years. You must give tenants a copy at the start of a tenancy, and you need a valid one whenever you let to a new tenant.
The rules today: band E
Since April 2020, you can't let a property in England or Wales rated F or G unless you've registered a valid exemption. Councils can fine landlords who let below the minimum, up to £5,000 per property per breach.
The 2030 target: band C
In January 2026, as part of its Warm Homes Plan, the government confirmed that privately rented homes must reach band C by 1 October 2030. The main points:
- New metrics. EPCs are being reformed to show several headline measures instead of one score. Rented homes will need band C on two of them, with fabric performance, meaning how well the building holds heat, expected to be one.
- Already rated C? You may be covered. A home rated C or better on the current-style rating, on an EPC issued before 1 October 2029, counts as compliant until that certificate expires.
- A £10,000 cost cap. You won't have to spend more than £10,000 per property, or 10% of its value if it's worth less than £100,000. Work done from 1 October 2025 counts towards the cap.
- Exemptions. If you've spent up to the cap and still can't reach C, you can register an exemption, valid for 10 years.
Until 1 October 2030, the minimum stays at E.
How to improve your EPC rating
Your EPC report lists recommended improvements, with typical costs and the rating each could get you to. Start there. Common upgrades, roughly from cheapest:
- Low-energy lighting throughout.
- Loft insulation, topped up to around 270mm.
- Draught-proofing for doors, windows and floors.
- Heating controls: a programmer, room thermostat and thermostatic radiator valves.
- Hot water cylinder insulation, if you have a cylinder.
- Cavity wall insulation, if the walls are suitable.
- A more efficient heating system, such as a newer condensing boiler or a heat pump.
- Better glazing and, for some homes, solar panels.
Because the new standard is expected to put the building's fabric first, insulation and draught-proofing are likely to count for more than they did under the old single score. Grants such as the Boiler Upgrade Scheme can reduce the cost of a heat pump.
Keep every invoice. You'll need evidence of what you spent to register an exemption, and to show a new agent or a buyer what's been done.
Planning ahead
- Check your current rating and expiry date.
- If you're rated D or below, get advice on the cheapest route to C well before October 2029.
- Time the work. Spending from October 2025 counts towards the cap, and work between tenancies avoids disruption.
- Keep your records together: EPCs, invoices and any exemption.
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