For years the target moved. In January 2026 it stopped moving: the Government confirmed that every privately rented home in England and Wales must reach EPC C by 1 October 2030. An earlier proposal for new tenancies to comply from 2028 was dropped, so there is now a single date for everyone.
Four years sounds generous. For a modern flat already at D, it is. For a Victorian or Edwardian terrace in Margate, Cliftonville or Ramsgate, with solid walls, original sash windows and an old boiler, it is about the right amount of time to do the work in a sensible order, use reliable trades and avoid paying rush prices in 2029 when every other landlord is doing the same.
What has been confirmed
- The standard: EPC C, measured on the new EPC's fabric performance metric plus either its heating system or smart readiness metric (the landlord chooses which)
- The deadline: 1 October 2030, for all private tenancies
- The cost cap: £10,000 per property, or 10% of the property's value if that is lower, with no inflation increase before 2030
- Spending that counts: qualifying work from 1 October 2025 counts towards the cap
- Exemptions: including the cost cap, works that would harm the property, and solid wall insulation, each lasting ten years once registered
- Penalties: the maximum fine per breach rises to £30,000
- Not covered: short-term holiday lets
Why the order of works matters
The new EPC rewards the fabric of the building first. That means insulation, draught-proofing and windows tend to do more for the rating than a new boiler on its own, and it means getting them in the right order: there is no point fitting a heat pump sized for a leaky house, then insulating it the year after. A plan that starts with the fabric, then heating, then controls is usually cheaper and more effective than a series of separate jobs.
Damp is the other reason to plan. Insulation fitted to a wall that is already damp, or a house sealed up without ventilation, can create the mould problems landlords are now expected to deal with quickly. Fix the cause of any damp first, then insulate, then ventilate.
What to do this year
- Find the current EPC for each property and read the recommendations page, not just the letter
- Note what each property has now: wall type, loft insulation depth, windows, boiler age, heating controls
- Get a plan for each property that puts the works in order and estimates the cost against the cap
- Book the work that is cheap and effective first: loft insulation, draught-proofing, heating controls
- Keep every invoice. Work from 1 October 2025 counts towards the cap, and you will need to prove it if you apply for an exemption
- Use accredited assessors for the EPC itself and registered installers for the work
Where we fit in
We do not carry out EPC assessments; that is a job for an accredited energy assessor. What we do is walk the property, check its condition, record any damp, and turn the EPC recommendations into a practical order of works with realistic costs, then check the trades you appoint and the work they do. Landlord Ready covers that for £295 a property, or £245 each for three or more.
Sources and further reading
Checked against the sources below on 4 October 2026.
This article is general guidance, not advice about your particular property. Detailed regulations were still being finalised when it was written; check the sources below before committing to major work.