The Energy Performance Certification (EPC) rating was originally implemented in 2007 in both England and Wales, and it measures a property's energy efficiency on a scale of A to G, with A being the most efficient and G being the least efficient. It is the landlord's responsibility to furnish renters with an EPC rating. Currently, landlords must get a fresh EPC every ten years. Aiming for a low EPC rating might result in cheaper energy costs and a smaller carbon impact, making your home more appealing to potential buyers or tenants.
New EPC Regulations for Landlords in 2025
The government recently announced new EPC regulations that would amend the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards; these changes will affect residential rental property in England and Wales and are expected to take effect in 2025.
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Currently, rental properties must meet minimum energy efficiency requirements (MEES) of an E rating on their Energy Performance Certificate (EPC).
According to the new EPC requirements, your rental property must have a certification level of C or above by 2025.
The modifications will make households more energy-efficient and minimise carbon waste, bringing the government closer to its net-zero goals.
Houses in the UK are often older than those in the rest of Europe, and we may make significant improvements to our houses’ energy efficiency.
These measures will improve the EPC of private sector houses, lowering energy costs and increasing comfort for renters as homes get warmer, all while focusing on meeting the statutory fuel poverty objective of EPC by 2030.
These changes, however, will be phased in over time, beginning with new tenants in 2025 and then affecting all tenancies in 2028, and will apply to both domestic and private rental units with leases ranging from 6 months to 99 years.
You might face fines of up to £30,000 if you do not comply.
What impact will the new EPC rules have on landlords?
Having to go from an E to a C grade might cost landlords thousands of dollars.
Landlords would be forced to pay for either insulating their houses to keep the heat in or installing other ‘fabric first’ elements to aid with heating and lighting.
From 2025 and onwards, if you wish to market your house for rent, you’ll need to provide lettings agencies with an updated and compliant EPC for the property they’re advertising. If your property does not have a rating of C or higher, you will be unable to promote it.
The government has announced modifications to the minimum energy efficiency criteria for England and Wales exclusively, after a survey on December 30th.
By 2025, all rental homes must have an EPC rating of ‘C’ or above. New tenants will be subject to the new restrictions initially, followed by all tenancies by 2028.
Written by Jino Jose
DEA & NDEA Accredited Energy Assessor · EPCRATE, London · Founded 2015
Jino Jose is the founder of EPCRATE and one of the few London assessors holding both Domestic Energy Assessor (DEA) and Non-Domestic Energy Assessor (NDEA) accreditations. He has carried out thousands of EPC assessments across all 32 London boroughs since 2015.
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