EPC Ratings & the 2030 Deadline: What Landlords Need to Know Now

The government confirmed the detail in January 2026. All rental properties must reach EPC C by 1 October 2030. But there is a second change most landlords have not yet noticed: the entire EPC measurement system is being replaced.

Energy Performance Certificates have been a landlord concern since the minimum E requirement landed in 2020. Now the bar is rising again, and the January 2026 Warm Homes Plan goes well beyond a simple deadline.

Whether you are worried about the cost, unsure what the new metrics mean for your property, or trying to decide whether to act now or wait, this guide sets out exactly where things stand.

The New Deadline: 1 October 2030 for All Tenancies

The previous proposal had two dates. New tenancies would need EPC C from 2028. Existing tenancies would follow in 2030.

That phased approach has gone. The January 2026 announcement confirmed a single date: 1 October 2030, applying to all private rented properties in England and Wales, whether the tenancy is new or already running.

Here is the current position:

• Current minimum: EPC E (since April 2020)
• New minimum: EPC C
• Deadline: 1 October 2030 for all domestic private rented properties
• Also in scope from 2030: Whole HMOs (even where only a single room is let), short-term rental properties, and heritage properties

This is a meaningful expansion. HMOs and short-term lets that previously sat outside the MEES rules will need to comply.

The Bigger Change: How EPCs Are Measured Is Changing

This is where most landlords are not yet paying attention.

On 1 October 2029, the current Energy Efficiency Rating (EER) will be replaced by the Home Energy Model (HEM). These two systems measure energy performance in fundamentally different ways.

The EER estimates the annual cost of heating, lighting, and hot water. A property with a reasonably efficient gas boiler and decent insulation can score well under it.

The HEM takes a different view entirely. It assesses:

1. The fabric of the building (insulation, window quality, airtightness)
2. Either the heating technology used or the property's ability to generate its own energy

Under the new system, a gas boiler counts for nothing. A property with good insulation but a standard gas boiler will not achieve a C under the Heating System Metric, regardless of how new or efficient the boiler is.

The Three New Metrics

Under the HEM, properties are assessed on two things: a mandatory first metric, and a choice of second metric.

Fabric Performance Metric (mandatory for all)

Every property must reach an EPC C for the building fabric. This covers:

• Insulation (loft, wall, floor)
• Window quality (double or triple glazing)
• Airtightness

The government has said the C/D boundary will be set at a similar level to the current system. Improvements to insulation and windows made now will still count.

A choice of second metric

Once the fabric requirement is met (or the landlord has a valid exemption), there are two options:

The Heating System Metric

This assesses how the property generates heat. Only low-carbon systems achieve a C:

• Air source or ground source heat pumps: Pass
• Low-carbon heat networks: Pass
• Gas boilers: Fail. Even the most efficient condensing boiler does not achieve a C under this metric. Hybrid heat pump and gas boiler systems also score D or below.

The Smart Readiness Metric

This measures whether the property can generate its own energy and use smart technology to manage it. The government has confirmed:

• Solar panels plus a smart meter: Pass (achieves a C)
• Electric batteries, smart heating controls, and smart EV charge points also count

In practice, once building fabric is dealt with, landlords will need to invest in either a heat pump or solar panels plus a smart meter. There is no route to EPC C under HEM via a gas boiler.

The Grandfathering Window: Why Acting Before October 2029 Matters