Here’s what has been confirmed, and what it means for you as a landlord.
The key points at a glance
For private rented homes in England and Wales:
- Single compliance date: 1 October 2030
- Target rating: EPC C
- Cost cap: £10,000 per property
- Exemption period: 10 years once you’ve evidenced spending the full cap
The crucial update: spend from October 2025 counts
The most important clarification in the Government’s response is this:
👉 Any qualifying energy-efficiency spend incurred from 1 October 2025 onwards will count toward the £10,000 EPC compliance cap.
This means landlords do not need to wait until closer to 2030 to begin works. If you are already planning improvements, those costs can now be credited toward future compliance.
Grandparenting rule confirmed
If your property already achieves EPC C before 1 October 2029, it will be treated as compliant until that EPC expires. In practice, this gives certainty to landlords who have already invested and avoids unnecessary repeat upgrades.
What hasn’t changed
- The target remains EPC C, not higher
- The cap remains £10,000 per property
- Exemptions remain available once the cap is fully evidenced
What this means in practice
If you are planning upgrades anyway, starting from October 2025 onwards is strategically smart:
- You begin building credited spend toward compliance
- You reduce the risk of rushed or expensive retrofits closer to 2030
- You can spread costs over time rather than absorbing them all at once
Waiting until the late 2020s may appear cheaper in the short term, but it increases exposure to contractor bottlenecks, rising costs, and limited availability of grants or skilled labour.
Our advice
This is no longer about guessing where policy might land. The direction is set. The smart approach is measured planning, not last-minute reaction.
Over the coming months, we’ll be helping landlords:
- understand their current EPC position,
- identify the most cost-effective upgrade paths, and
- plan works in a way that aligns with both compliance and long-term asset value.
If you’d like to discuss how these changes affect your property or portfolio, speak to our team - we’re here to help you plan ahead.
