EPC C by 2030: what landlords in England and Wales need to know
Most landlords have heard that rented homes need to reach EPC C by 2030. Fewer know the details that decide what it will actually cost them.
The rules were confirmed by the government in January 2026, after years of proposals and delays (government response). Here's what they say.
The deadline
From 1 October 2030, privately rented homes in England and Wales must have an EPC rating of C or above, or a valid registered exemption. That applies to every tenancy, new and existing. An earlier idea of a 2028 deadline for new tenancies was dropped, so there is now one date for everyone (Pinsent Masons).
The current minimum is E. So any rented home rated D or below today will need work, an exemption, or both.
How much you have to spend
There's a cap on what a landlord is required to spend: £10,000 per property. Where £10,000 would be 10% or more of the property's value, the cap is 10% of the value instead. A flat worth £80,000 would have an £8,000 cap (Mortgage Solutions).
The government expects the average cost to be around half the cap. Plenty of homes will need far less, especially where cheap measures like loft and cavity wall insulation haven't been done yet.
Spending from 1 October 2025 onwards counts towards the cap. So work done now isn't wasted if the rules are applied in 2030 (Hamptons).
If you can't reach C
If you spend up to the cap on the recommended improvements and the home still can't reach C, you can register a cost cap exemption. It lasts 10 years, up from 5 years under the current rules. Other exemptions exist too, for example where the work would reduce the property's value.
The key word is "recommended". The exemption depends on having spent the money on suitable improvements, so keep invoices and evidence.
Fines
The maximum fine rises to £30,000 per property, per breach, up from £5,000 today. That's deliberately higher than the cost cap, so ignoring the rules is the expensive option.
What counts as C
EPCs are changing. New-style EPCs based on a new calculation method are being introduced, and the 2030 standard will be measured against them. The details of the new metrics haven't been fully published.
There's a useful transition rule. A home rated C or above on the current scale before 1 October 2029 is treated as compliant until that EPC expires. EPCs last 10 years, so a C achieved soon could carry a property well past 2030.
Who it doesn't apply to
Short-term lets such as holiday lets aren't required to meet the C standard by 2030 (Elmhurst Energy). Social housing is being dealt with separately.
What to do now
- Look up your current EPC on the government register and note the score, not just the letter.
- Check how far below 69 you are. A D at 66 is a very different job from a D at 55.
- Do the cheap measures first. Loft insulation and cavity wall insulation often close most of the gap.
- Consider getting a new EPC once the work is done, ideally before October 2029, to lock in a C under the current scale.
Check your own rental
The free checker estimates where your property stands against EPC C and the cheapest likely route to get there, with sourced costs.