EPC
An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is a legal document that rates how energy-efficient a home is on a scale from A most efficient to G least efficient. It is part of the energy efficiency rules and includes an overall rating, an estimate of running costs, and recommendations for improving efficiency, such as better insulation or more efficient heating.
In most cases a landlord in England and Wales must have a valid EPC before marketing a property and must give a copy to the tenant free of charge, usually at the start of the tenancy. An EPC is normally valid for 10 years.
Minimum energy efficiency rules (MEES) currently mean most privately rented homes must have an EPC rating of at least E, unless an exemption applies. There have been proposals to tighten this standard further as part of the wider renters’ reform act and net-zero agenda. In January 2026, the government confirmed that all private landlords must get their rental properties up to an EPC C, from the current EPC E, by 1st October 2030. The government also reduced the spending cap, so that the maximum amount landlords will need to spend on improvements is £10,000, instead of the previously suggested £15,000 per property. A low-value property exemption will also be introduced, which will lower the spending cap where £10,000 would represent 10% or more of a property’s value.
An EPC does not itself guarantee that a property is in good repair or “warm enough”, but it is one piece of evidence. A poor EPC may support complaints about cold, damp or high energy costs and can be relevant in negotiations over improvements.
Also see our landlord blog articles, a number of these are about property and tenant safety:
Electrical safety inspections for landlords: Your complete EICR guide for 2026
Gas Safety Certificates: The Complete UK Landlord Guide 2025
Also see our free landlord calculators
