The UK Government will consult on increasing the minimum energy efficiency rating for privately rented homes to C or its equivalent by 2030, according to the Energy Saving Trust1. The proposal would apply to private rented properties in England and Wales, where the current minimum standard is EPC E2. The consultation has not yet opened, and no date for it has been reported1.
Under the existing MEES rules for rented homes, landlords in England and Wales must meet a minimum EPC rating of E or face compliance notices and fines of up to £5,0001. Less than half, 48%, of private rented homes in England currently hold a rating of C or above2. The Energy Saving Trust states that the changes could save tenants an estimated £240 a year on their annual energy bills, and that upgrading properties in line with the new standards by 2030 is estimated to cost landlords between £6,100 and £6,800 on average2.
"The UK Government is consulting on plans to require private rented properties in England and Wales to achieve an EPC rating of C or above by 2030."
An EPC rates a home from A (best) to G (worst) and is based on the modelled cost of heating, hot water and lighting per square metre, not directly on carbon emissions1. Certificates are valid for 10 years if produced by an accredited assessor1. In England and Wales, landlords are not required to spend more than £3,500 on recommended improvements to reach the minimum standard; where recommended works cost more, a high-cost exemption can be applied for through the PRS Exemptions Register, lasting five years2. Exemptions can also arise from affordability, refusal of mortgage lender consent, or structural issues2.
Scotland is taking a separate route. The Scottish Government's Heat in Buildings Bill consultation proposes new minimum energy efficiency standards for private landlords in Scotland to meet by 2028, and proposes that building owners replace polluting heating systems such as gas, oil and LPG boilers with clean ones by 20452. It is also introducing changes to reduce EPC validity from 10 years to five2. Scotland has a separate Environmental Impact (CO₂) rating alongside the main rating1.
| Nation | Current minimum for private rented homes | Proposed or consulted position |
|---|---|---|
| England and Wales | EPC E2 | EPC C or above by 2030, subject to consultation2 |
| Scotland | Not stated in the sources | Minimum standards proposed for 2028 under the Heat in Buildings Bill consultation2 |
Why it matters for households
For a tenant, the rating of the home is set by the building, not by behaviour, and larger measures such as insulation, glazing and heating upgrades are normally the landlord's responsibility2. A move from E to C would therefore change what a rented home is required to be, rather than what a tenant is required to do. The Energy Saving Trust puts the potential bill saving for tenants at around £240 a year2, though this is an estimate for the sector and not a figure for any individual property.
For a landlord, the practical question is the gap between the current rating and C. The Energy Saving Trust lists typical measures as insulation (solid wall, cavity wall or loft), heating upgrades, double glazing or energy efficient doors, and renewable systems such as solar panels or heat pumps, with LED lighting and smart meters as smaller steps2. The £3,500 spending cap and the exemption route are features of the current E standard; whether equivalent protections would carry into a C standard has not been reported1.
What happens next
The consultation has not yet been published, and the Energy Saving Trust says it will update its guidance with the results when available1. In Scotland, the Heat in Buildings Bill consultation proposals set a 2028 date for private landlords and 2045 for replacing polluting heating systems2.
Sources2 cited
- How to improve your EPC rating - Energy Saving Trust, energysavingtrust.org.uk
- Energy efficiency for landlords - Energy Saving Trust, energysavingtrust.org.uk