EPC C by 2030: What the 2026 MEES Decision Means for Landlords

The Government confirmed in 2026 that all privately rented properties in England must achieve EPC band C by 2030. This is a significant raise from the current Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) floor of band E, which has been in force since April 2020. Approximately 2.8 million privately rented properties are currently rated D or below [GOV.UK] — all of them affected.

The policy details are set out in the updated private rented sector energy performance publications on GOV.UK. This guide covers what landlords need to know: the timeline, the exemptions, and how to assess the cost exposure in your portfolio.

The current MEES regime (band E floor)

Since April 2018 (new tenancies) and April 2020 (all tenancies), landlords in England and Wales cannot let a property with an EPC rating below band E. Letting a sub-E property without a registered exemption carries a civil penalty of up to £30,000 per property.

The band E floor applies regardless of tenancy length or whether the property is let furnished or unfurnished. Properties occupied by the same tenant continuously since before 2018 are not exempt — if they re-let, the standard applies.

The EPC itself must be current (less than 10 years old) and lodged on the national EPC register. Landlords who commissioned an EPC in 2015 will need to renew it before 2025 if they have not already done so.

What the 2030 EPC C requirement changes

The 2030 standard raises the MEES floor from E to C. In practical terms this means:

• Band D and E properties that currently comply will need improvement works to reach C.
• Band F and G properties that are currently exempt from the E standard (under a cost-cap or other exemption) will need to be reassessed against the new C standard.
• Band A, B, and C properties already comply and no action is required on energy grounds alone.

The Government has not yet published the final regulations for the 2030 standard. The cost cap (the maximum a landlord is required to spend per property before claiming an exemption) is subject to consultation. The current consultation figure is £15,000 per property [GOV.UK], up from the existing £3,500 cap for the band E standard.

Understanding the EPC rating system

EPCs are scored on a scale of 1 to 100 (SAP points). The bands are:

Band	SAP points
A	92–100
B	81–91
C	69–80
D	55–68
E	39–54
F	21–38
G	1–20

A property at SAP 65 (mid D) needs to reach at least 69 to achieve C. That is a smaller gap than many landlords assume — in some properties, loft insulation and an upgraded boiler are sufficient. A property at SAP 45 (mid E) has a longer journey.

Each EPC lodgement includes a list of recommended measures with indicative SAP point improvements and estimated costs. This is the starting point for any upgrade assessment. Use the Homedata EPC checker to retrieve current ratings and lodgement IDs for any property by address or UPRN.

The MEES exemptions regime

Landlords who cannot reach band C within the cost cap can register an exemption. Exemptions are recorded on the PRS Exemptions Register (publicly searchable). The main exemptions are:

• Cost cap exemption: All relevant improvements have been made up to the cost cap and the property still cannot reach C. The landlord must evidence that at least three quotes for improvement works were obtained and that the combined cost exceeds the cap.
• Third party consent refused: The works require consent from a leaseholder, freeholder, or planning authority (e.g. Listed Building consent) and that consent was refused. A valid consent application and refusal evidence are required.
• Temporary derogation for new landlord: A landlord who has recently acquired a non-compliant property has a temporary 6-month exemption before the standard applies.
• Property devaluation exemption: An independent RICS-qualified surveyor has confirmed that the required works would reduce the property's market value by more than 5%. This is a high bar and rarely available.

Exemptions last for 5 years (cost cap and devaluation) or until the relevant circumstances change (third party consent). They must be renewed when they expire — the exemption does not run with the property if it is sold.

Which improvements count and what do they cost?

The measures that contribute to the EPC SAP score are defined in the Standard Assessment Procedure methodology. For most D-rated residential properties, the highest-impact improvements (in cost-per-SAP-point terms) are:

Improvement	Typical SAP increase	Indicative cost (2026)
Loft insulation (top-up to 270mm)	+3 to +6	£300–£600
Cavity wall insulation	+4 to +8	£1,000–£1,800
A-rated condensing boiler (replacement)	+5 to +10	£2,500–£4,000
Double glazing (full replacement)	+2 to +5	£4,000–£8,000
Solar PV (3kWp system)	+6 to +12	£5,500–£7,000
Air source heat pump	+8 to +20 (property-dependent)	£8,000–£14,000

These are indicative figures. Actual costs vary considerably by property age, type, and location. The EPC assessor's recommendations are the authoritative reference for what will work for a specific property.

The Decent Homes Standard connection

The Renters' Rights Act 2026 extended the Decent Homes Standard to private rentals. One of the four Decent Homes criteria is "a reasonable degree of thermal comfort" — which is assessed partly through EPC data. A property currently failing the Decent Homes thermal comfort test is likely to also be below band C.

This means landlords face a double incentive to act: Decent Homes enforcement by local councils (now live) and MEES compliance by 2030. Properties at band D or E that are already generating complaints about cold and damp are the highest-risk combination.

For more on the Renters' Rights Act 2026 obligations, see: Renters' Rights Act 2026: What Landlords Must Do Now.

Assessing your portfolio: where to start

For a portfolio of more than five properties, a systematic approach pays off. The steps:

1. Pull current EPC ratings for all properties. The Homedata EPC data endpoint returns the current lodged EPC rating, SAP score, lodgement date, and recommended measures for any property by UPRN. For a 20-property portfolio, this is a single batch API call rather than 20 manual EPC register lookups.
2. Segment by band. A (no action) / B (no action) / C (no action) / D (moderate risk — likely improvable within cost cap) / E (higher cost) / F or G (immediate compliance issue under current law).
3. Check lodgement dates. EPCs lodged before 2018 may be out of date. A property that was D in 2015 may now be E if the boiler has not been replaced — or C if it has. Refresh old EPCs before budgeting.
4. Get improvement quotes for your D and E properties. Focus on the lowest-cost route to C using the recommended measures in the EPC. For properties where the gap is small (SAP 65+), insulation alone may be sufficient.
5. Register exemptions early where applicable. If you have a listed building or a property where third-party consent has been refused, register the exemption now — do not wait until 2029.

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What this could look like as a portfolio tool

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Related reading

• Renters' Rights Act 2026: What Landlords Must Do Now
• Build an EPC Compliance Checker with Python and the Homedata API
• EPC Ratings Explained: A Developer's Guide to Energy Performance Certificates