Government Confirms Reforms to Energy Performance Certificates and 2030 Rental Deadline

Government Confirms Reforms to Energy Performance Certificates and 2030 Rental Deadline

The UK government has announced key changes to Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) for homes and rental properties, including a confirmed compliance deadline for the private rented sector.

Under the newly released partial response to consultations on EPC reform, the government plans to redesign how EPCs work to give clearer and more practical information about a building’s energy performance. Rather than relying on a single overall rating, future EPCs will be based on four separate elements: energy cost, fabric performance, heating system and smart readiness. These new metrics aim to help homeowners, tenants and landlords better understand and improve energy efficiency, as well as support broader national goals such as reducing fuel poverty and cutting carbon emissions.

Although work is still ongoing, the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) says it will refine rules to require a new EPC whenever an existing certificate expires for private rented buildings. This is intended to ensure that EPCs remain up to date and aligned with Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) without placing undue burden on landlords. The government will continue engaging with landlord groups to finalise plans later in 2026.

In addition to the redesigned EPCs, a secondary “energy demand metric” will be introduced. This will show modelled energy usage, while a carbon-based metric will provide an indication of a building’s emissions. Existing certificates will remain valid until the end of their 10-year lifespan, and homeowners can commission EPCs voluntarily to explore ways to upgrade their property’s performance.

As part of the government’s wider Warm Homes Plan, the compliance framework for the private rented sector has also been simplified. Rather than having separate interim deadlines, all private rented properties in England and Wales must meet the new energy performance requirements by October 2030. The previously proposed 2028 deadline for new tenancies has been dropped.

To support landlords in meeting the new standards, the government has lowered the proposed spending cap on required energy efficiency improvements from £15,000 to £10,000 (with adjustments for lower-value properties where this amount represents more than 10 % of the home's value). Any qualifying energy efficiency work undertaken since October 2025 will count toward this cap.