EPC
EPC ratings explained: what UK landlords need to know in 2026
Updated 2026-05-21 · 6 min read
An Energy Performance Certificate, or EPC, is a snapshot of how energy efficient a property is. It is mandatory to let, market or sell a home in the UK. Landlords face an additional minimum standard: a property cannot be let if its EPC rating is F or G, and proposals are circulating to lift the floor to C for new tenancies from 2028.
How EPC ratings work
An EPC grades a property on an A to G scale, where A is the most efficient and G the least. The rating is calculated using the Standard Assessment Procedure or, for older properties, the Reduced Data SAP method, by an accredited domestic energy assessor.
The certificate includes the current rating, the potential rating after recommended improvements, an indicative annual energy cost, and a list of cost-effective upgrades such as loft insulation, cavity wall insulation, double glazing, low-energy lighting and renewable measures.
The current Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES)
Since April 2020, landlords in England and Wales cannot continue to let a property with an EPC rating of F or G to any tenant, new or existing. The minimum rating is E.
Limited exemptions exist where works cannot be carried out without consent, where consent has been refused, or where works would devalue the property by more than 5 per cent. All exemptions must be registered on the PRS Exemptions Register and last up to five years.
The proposed C-rating deadline
Consultation in late 2025 proposed raising the minimum rating to C for new tenancies from 2028 and for all tenancies from 2030, with cost caps in the £10,000 to £15,000 range per property. As of May 2026 this remains a proposal but most observers expect it to be enacted in some form. Planning capital expenditure for improvements now is sensible.
Common upgrades that move a typical property from D to C include cavity wall insulation, low-energy lighting, hot water cylinder thermostat upgrades, top-up loft insulation and air-source heat pump conversions in eligible properties.
EPC validity and cost
An EPC is valid for ten years. You only need a new one if you carry out significant energy efficiency works and want the certificate to reflect the improved rating.
Typical cost in 2026 is £45 to £120 for a residential survey, plus VAT. Larger properties and HMOs cost more, primarily because the assessor needs to record every habitable room and the existing insulation in each.
Booking an EPC
Only an accredited Domestic Energy Assessor (DEA) can produce an EPC. Verify accreditation through one of the schemes such as Elmhurst Energy, Stroma, Quidos or RICS.
The assessment normally takes 30 to 90 minutes on site and the certificate is uploaded to the EPC Register within a few working days. You can check any existing EPC at epc.opendatacommunities.org.
Common questions
- How long does an EPC last?
- Ten years from the date of issue. You can commission a new one earlier if you have made improvements that would lift the rating.
- Can I let a property with a rating of F or G?
- No. Unless you hold a registered MEES exemption, the property cannot be let to new or existing tenants if the rating is F or G.
- Will I have to upgrade to C by 2028?
- Consultation in late 2025 proposed this for new tenancies. The final legislation has not been enacted, but planning improvements now is sensible.