Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)

The A-to-G rating a landlord is legally required to keep above a set minimum before a property can be let — and one of the quickest ways to check whether a rental is meeting basic legal standards.

What EPC rating does my rental property need to have right now?

Under the current Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards, most private rented properties in England and Wales must have an EPC rating of E or above to be lawfully let, unless a valid exemption applies. A property below E cannot generally be granted a new tenancy or have an existing one continued.

Is it true the minimum is rising to a C rating?

The government has confirmed plans to raise the minimum to a C rating, but the deadline has been pushed back to 1 October 2030 for all tenancies, giving landlords time to plan improvement works rather than facing an immediate change.

What if my landlord doesn't have a valid EPC at all?

A valid EPC should generally be provided to a tenant before they move in. If none has been provided, this can be relevant to a rent repayment order application or a complaint to the local authority, alongside any other breaches of housing standards.

How long does an EPC last?

An EPC is currently valid for 10 years from the date it was issued, though planned changes to the EPC system are expected to shorten this to 5 years once the new system comes into effect. Landlords need a valid, in-date certificate to lawfully let the property.

Are there any exemptions from the minimum EPC rating?

Yes, a small number of exemptions exist, for example where required improvements would cost more than a set cap or would need consent that has been refused. Exemptions must generally be registered on the national PRS exemptions register, not simply assumed to apply.

Can a low EPC rating affect a dispute with my landlord?

It can be relevant. A poor EPC rating is often evidence of wider problems with a property's condition or insulation, which can support a complaint about fitness for human habitation, damp and mould, or a claim relating to the property's overall standard.

Why the EPC rating is a legal minimum, not just a label

An EPC is often thought of as background paperwork, similar to a gas safety certificate, but it carries a hard legal floor. Since 2018, and extended to all existing tenancies from 2020, private landlords in England and Wales have generally needed a minimum EPC rating of E to lawfully continue letting a property, subject to a limited set of exemptions.

A property rated F or G cannot usually be let, or have its tenancy continued, unless a registered exemption applies — for example, because required improvements would cost more than the regulations' cost cap, or because necessary consents were sought and refused. Letting a sub-standard property without a valid exemption can expose a landlord to financial penalties from the local authority.

What is changing, and when

• This has applied to all private tenancies, not just new ones, since 2020.
• Proposed minimum: C.
• Government plans would raise the minimum to a C rating for all tenancies, with a confirmed deadline of 1 October 2030.
• A revised way of assessing and presenting EPCs is expected to become compulsory from 1 October 2029, following a government consultation launched in January 2026.
• EPCs are currently valid for 10 years; this is expected to reduce to 5 years once the new system takes effect.

A tenant checks their rental property's EPC on the national register and finds it is rated F, last assessed several years ago, with no exemption listed against the property. They are also experiencing persistent cold and high energy bills.

Because the property falls below the current minimum E rating with no registered exemption, the landlord may be letting it unlawfully under the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards. This is separate from, but can support, a complaint about the property's fitness for human habitation, and can be reported to the local authority, which has power to investigate and impose a financial penalty.

Fitness for Human Habitation

Decent Homes Standard

Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property) Regulations 2015

Energy Performance Certificates

Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) — Renters' Rights Glossary

What an EPC is, the current minimum E rating for rentals, the planned move to C by 2030, and what it means for tenants.