What is an EPC rating? MEES guide for landlords

Energy efficiency is becoming increasingly important in the rental sector. Not only are more landlords and tenants aware of their responsibilities when it comes to the environment, but a more energy efficient property can save money for both parties.

On top of this, residential and commercial landlords in England and Wales have to comply with the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) or face being hit with significant fines.

Read our guide to brush up on Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) ratings, find out how to make a property more energy efficient, and make sure you’re compliant with MEES regulations.

Read for more information on:

what is an EPC?
what is an EPC rating?
how to improve your EPC rating
what are the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards?
what are the MEES exemptions?
what are the penalties for non-compliance with MEES?
what’s happening with gas boilers?

What is an EPC?

The Energy Performance Certificate, which is valid for 10 years, gives an overview of the energy efficiency of an individual building.

As a residential or commercial landlord, you’re legally required to give tenants a valid EPC when they move into your property.

Every EPC is based on the same criteria, which makes it easy to compare the energy efficiency and running costs of different properties.

That being said, estimated running costs are based on average energy prices at the time of the inspection. This means that the information on the EPC could be up to a decade out of date.

What is an EPC rating?

Every EPC includes a rating on a sliding scale from A to G. You’ll also find information on your property’s typical energy use and costs, as well as recommendations on how to improve its efficiency and save money.

What is the EPC rating meaning?

A property’s EPC rating will be a letter and a score which shows how energy efficient it is, and whether it has high or low running costs.

EPC ratings are broken down like this:

EPC rating	Score
A (highest)	92 plus
B	81-91
C	69-80
D	55-68
E	39-54
F	21-38
G (lowest)	1-20

When you get an EPC for your property, it will include a current score and a potential score based on improvements that you could make.

Older homes tend to have lower EPC ratings and, according to the government, the average EPC rating in the UK is D (with a score of 60).

EPC rating check – how to get one

If you don’t already have a valid EPC, you’ll need to organise an assessment. The cost will depend on the size of your property and the assessor you choose.

You can organise getting an EPC through the government’s register, which will show you all the accredited providers in your area. The EPC cost can range from a minimum of around £50 up to £120, so it’s worth getting a few quotes.

How to improve your EPC rating

You can increase your EPC rating by making a range of improvements, from insulation and draught proofing, to replacing windows or using solar panels.

Here’s a breakdown of some of the most common improvements, as set out by the government:

Improvement	Typical cost	Annual savings	Effectiveness
Room-in-roof insulation	£1,500-£2,700	£837	Suitable for property with E,F, or G rating
Draught proofing	£80-£120	£18	Suitable for property with D or E rating
Low-E double glazed windows	£3,300-£6,500	£123	Suitable for property with single glazing and C rating
Solar photovoltaic panels	£5,000-£8,000	£287	Suitable for property with B or C rating

The above information relates to residential properties. You can find out more about the cost and effectiveness of improvements to increase a commercial EPC on the government website.

What are the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards?

The Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) were introduced as part of the Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property) (England and Wales) Regulations 2015.

Since 2018, landlords of both commercial and residential properties in England and Wales haven’t been able to grant new tenancies for properties with an EPC rating of F or G.

This means that if you’re planning to rent out a property which is lower than EPC rating E, you’ll have to improve its energy efficiency first or register an exemption.

In 2020, the rules were extended to cover all existing residential tenancies, while the same extension took place in the commercial sector during 2023.
The government has revealed plans to increase the minimum EPC rating for residential rental properties to EPC rating C by 2030.

Landlords reveal expected cost of energy efficiency improvements

Half (50 per cent) of landlords will need to make improvements to their property to meet a minimum EPC standard of C by 2030, according to Simply Business research.

The survey of almost 2,000 landlords found that 11 per cent will need to spend over £10,000 on energy efficiency improvements, while 34 per cent will need to spend up to £10,000.

The most common improvements landlords plan to make to increase their property’s EPC rating are:

increasing loft insulation
improving windows – e.g. installing double or triple glazing
increasing draft proofing

Do landlords need an Energy Performance Certificate in Scotland?

Scottish landlords must make sure their properties are EPC rating D or above for new tenancies.

The minimum EPC rating in Scotland was set to increase to C from 2025. However, the deadline has been extended to 2028.

EPC for rental property – what are the MEES exemptions?

Not all properties are covered by MEES regulations. For example, if your property is listed and not legally required to have an EPC, then you won’t need to comply.

Meanwhile, if you’re letting a residential property which isn’t an assured tenancy, regulated tenancy, or domestic agricultural tenancy, then it’s likely you won’t have to worry about MEES.

There are also a range of MEES exemptions which allow you to continue letting a property with an EPC rating of F or G. Most exemptions last for five years, but some are temporary and only last for six months.

These exemptions include if your property still has an EPC rating below E after you’ve spent £3,500 on improvements (known as the ‘cost cap’), or you’ve unexpectedly become a landlord.

If the costs for improvements are too high, or you can’t get the consent you need from a freeholder or planning department to make changes to the property, then you may also be able to register for an exemption.

The list of exemptions is the same for residential and commercial properties, but slightly different issues are covered:

recently become a landlord
all relevant improvements made
high cost
wall insulation
third-party consent
property devaluation exemption

How can you register an exemption?

You can register an exemption on the UK government website. You’ll need to give your details, choose which exemption you want to register, and upload supporting evidence such as letters, invoices, and a valid EPC.

What are the penalties for non-compliance with MEES regulations?

There are a number of financial penalties for not complying with MEES, depending on whether your property is residential or commercial, and how long you’ve been in breach of the regulations for.

When enforcing the EPC regulations, local authorities will be checking your compliance with four things:

Whether you’ve granted a new tenancy with an EPC rating of F or G since April 2018
Whether you’ve continued to let properties with an EPC rating of below E since April 2020 (since 2023 for commercial landlords)
Whether you’ve registered any false or misleading claims on the exemption register
Whether you’ve failed to meet a compliance notice

MEES penalties for residential properties

If you’ve been letting a non-compliant property for less than three months, the penalty is up to £2,000, and if it’s been more than three months then the penalty goes up to a maximum of £4,000.

You can also be fined up to £1,000 for registering a false exemption and up to £2,000 for failing to deal with a compliance notice. The maximum penalty for each residential property found to be in breach of the regulations is £5,000.

MEES penalties for commercial properties

If you’ve been letting out a non-compliant commercial property for less than three months, the penalty is up to either £5,000, or 10 per cent of the rateable value of the property (whichever is higher), and with a maximum penalty of £50,000.

If you’ve been letting out a non-compliant property for more than three months, the penalty is up to £10,000, or 20 per cent of the rateable value of the property (whichever is higher), with a maximum penalty of £150,000.

As with residential properties, there’s also a penalty for providing false or misleading information to the exemption register, or failing to comply with a compliance notice.

How do I make sure my property is compliant with MEES?

If your property’s EPC rating falls below band E, an energy assessment will make recommendations on how to improve its energy efficiency.

It’s important to note that if your EPC rating is E or higher, you don’t have to follow through with the recommendations. That being said, improving the energy efficiency of your property can make it more appealing to tenants, and may save you money in the future.

What’s happening with gas boilers?

Replacing a gas central heating system with a heat pump can reduce carbon emissions.

Landlords in England and Wales can get a cash grant of up to £7,500 from the government towards replacing their boiler with a heat pump.

The Conservative government pledged to ban the sale of new gas boilers from 2035. However, before the general election in July 2024, the Labour Party said they would scrap the ban if they came to power.
Do you have an unanswered question about the EPC ratings and MEES regulations? Ask us in the comments below.

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