New EPC regulations: What landlords need to know: Your FAQs

More than 900 of you logged onto our latest member webinar to quiz our experts on all things EPC, following the Government’s announcement that landlords will need to meet EPC C by 2030. 

More than 200 questions were also submitted ahead of the recording on Thurday, covering everything from changes to the metrics by which they are calculated to affordability issues. 

Here’s a selection of the questions – and answers – discussed by the panel, which included Meera Chindooroy, deputy director for campaigns for the NRLA and our head of policy James Wood. They were joined by Andrew Parkin, chair of the Property Energy Professionals Association and technical development director at Elmhurst Energy, as well as Anna Moore, CEO of NRLA retrofit partner, Domna. 

Frequently Asked Questions

The session also offered you the option to submit your own questions to our expert team, among the most common were: 

My properties now have a C rating. After 2030, will the rating standards change my current C rating? 

EPCs obtained before 1st October 2029 will continue to follow the current methodology and remain valid for up to 10 years. If your property already holds a valid EPC rating of A, B, or C under the current system, you will be able to continue letting it until that certificate expires. 

However, EPCs issued on or after 1st October 2029 will be produced using the new methodology under the Home Energy Model. This new approach may result in different ratings, even where no physical changes have been made to the property. 

As a result, a property that is currently rated C may not automatically achieve a C under the new system once a new EPC is required.  

It is worth noting that if you get an EPC of C or above under the current system, before the 2029 deadline this will still remain valid for 10 years. 

What happens if a leasehold landlord cannot carry out EPC improvements due to consent issues? 

Responsibility for meeting the standard remains with the landlord. However, where works cannot be carried out because a third party refuses consent, you will be able to rely on a third-party refusal exemption. This applies where: 

• A freeholder refuses permission to carry out works, or 

• A tenant refuses access to enable improvements. 

To rely on this exemption, you must provide clear evidence that consent was sought and refused. Requests should therefore always be made in writing, with written records kept of any responses received. 

If tenants need to vacate the property for works to be undertaken, can the landlord require temporary possession, and what if the tenant refuses or appeals? 

Where works are substantial, and it is not reasonable for a tenant to remain in occupation, you have a few potential options. 

In some cases, possession may be sought under Ground 6A, where substantial redevelopment is required.  

More commonly, when a tenant is unwilling to temporarily leave or refuses access, the third-party refusal exemption may be the more appropriate route.  

This allows you to continue letting the property without carrying out the works until the tenant leaves, at which point the upgrades can be completed.  

If I can't afford to get my property to EPC C by Oct 2029, what are my options? 

When affordability is a barrier, you might rely on cost cap and exemption mechanisms.  

The cost cap sets the maximum amount a landlord must spend to meet the EPC standard. If the cost of the required improvements exceeds this cap, the landlord may be eligible for an exemption.  

For properties valued at under £100,000, a lower cost cap will apply, with the maximum spend reducing in line with the property’s value. 

You can also use grant funding to help meet EPC requirements. Works completed through recognised grant schemes will count towards compliance and can be included when calculating spend against the cost cap.  

Any eligible expenditure incurred from October 2025 onwards will count towards the cost cap. 

Can you still pass the fabric performance with a gas boiler? 

The fabric performance metric concerns solely how well the building retains heat. It assesses elements such as: 

• Walls 

• Floors 

• Roofs 

• Windows 

• Draught-proofing 

It is agnostic of the heating system, meaning a gas boiler does not prevent a property from meeting the fabric standard. That said, properties with solid walls or complex layouts may face additional challenges, and the final methodology will determine how factors such as heat-loss perimeter are assessed. 

While a gas boiler is unlikely to meet the heating system metric under the new EPC, landlords can instead choose to meet the smart readiness metric, for example, through measures such as solar PV or smart controls. This provides flexibility and avoids forcing premature or impractical heating system changes. 

More information

• For more information about the proposed changes and the latest government announcements on the Warm Homes plan, the EPC, and MEES, click here. 

• The NRLA’s award-winning Training Academy runs an energy efficiency course giving you all you need to know on energy efficiency and how to access funding. Click here for more information and to book. 

• NRLA partner Domna is a one stop shop, when it comes to helping you improve your properties Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) ratings. For more information click here.  

• Part of the NRLA family, Safe2 is a one-stop-shop for all things compliance, allowing you to organise inspections and order safety certificates, including EPCs, at the click of a button. For more information click here.