What an EPC is
An Energy Performance Certificate rates a property from A down to G on how much energy it is likely to use. An accredited domestic energy assessor visits and records what it is built from, how it is heated, what insulation is in place and what the lighting is. Those inputs go into a standard calculation and out comes a band and a score.
The certificate is only half of it. The recommendations report is the other half, and it is the most useful document a landlord gets: it turns a vague instruction to make the flat warmer into a short list of jobs.
An EPC is valid for ten years from the day it is lodged. Improving the property does not make it expire early, but a new assessment puts the better rating on record.
The rules that apply to rented homes
The minimum energy efficiency standard duties for rented homes.
Band E is the minimum
Since 1 April 2020 a landlord cannot let, or carry on letting, a domestic property rated below E unless a valid exemption is registered.
Valid for ten years
An EPC lasts ten years from the day it is lodged. You can commission a new one sooner, and will want to after improvement work, but you do not have to.
Up to £5,000 per property
The maximum penalty for breaching the minimum energy efficiency standard is £5,000 per property.
Exemptions must be registered
An exemption only counts once it is on the PRS Exemptions Register. Deciding you qualify and doing nothing leaves you with no exemption at all.
Band C by 2030 is an aim, not a deadline
Plenty of pages tell landlords that every rented property must reach EPC band C by a particular year. We are not going to join in. EPC band C by 2030 is a stated government aim. It is not a confirmed legal deadline, and we will not publish any other date either.
What is settled is the standard that has applied since 1 April 2020: band E or better, or a registered exemption. Plan around that. Going further while a property is empty can make commercial sense, but treat that as your decision rather than a rule.
Exemptions, and the bit people miss
Some properties genuinely cannot reach band E, but an exemption only protects you once it is on the PRS Exemptions Register.
All relevant improvements made
Every measure the guidance expects has been made and the property still falls below E.
High cost
No improvement can be installed within the cost cap set out in the guidance.
Wall insulation
The only measures left are wall insulation types an expert says would damage the property.
Third-party consent
A tenant, freeholder, lender or planning authority refuses consent, or attaches conditions you cannot meet.
Property devaluation
A surveyor reports the work would cut the market value by more than the threshold. Lasts five years.
New landlord
You recently became the landlord in one of the ways listed. Runs for six months.
Exemptions are not permanent. Most last five years, the new landlord one six months, after which you need band E or a fresh exemption.
What actually moves the rating
Start with your own recommendations report. These are the measures that come up most often in London stock.
Insulation
Loft insulation topped up, cavity walls filled where the construction allows, solid walls insulated inside or out. In older London stock, draught-proofing sash windows and floorboards is often the cheapest thing that moves the number.
Heating controls
A programmer, a room thermostat and thermostatic radiator valves. Usually the least disruptive upgrade in a tenanted flat, and they count.
Lighting
Low energy fittings and lamps throughout. On its own it rarely lifts a band, but it is quick and adds to everything else.
Heating and hot water
Replacing an old boiler, insulating the cylinder and lagging pipework. Gas work is done by Gas Safe registered engineers we work with.
How we help
We are not an accredited energy assessor and do not pretend to be. We arrange the assessment and do the work it points at, so you deal with one company.
- We arrange the assessment with an accredited domestic energy assessor
- We go through the recommendations report and say what is worth doing
- We price the improvement work in writing before anything starts
- Electrical work is done by our NAPIT registered electricians
- Gas work is done by Gas Safe registered engineers we work with
- We book a fresh assessment afterwards so the new rating is on record
A sensible order to do it in
- 1. Find the current certificate. Check the band and the date it was lodged.
- 2. Get an assessment if you need one. We arrange it with an accredited assessor and send you the certificate and the recommendations report.
- 3. Pick the measures. We quote the work in writing, so you see what each step costs before committing.
- 4. Do the work, then reassess. A fresh assessment puts the better rating on record. If the property still falls short, that evidence supports an exemption.
NAPIT registered
Registration number 64777, and fully insured including public liability.
Inside the M25 and just outside
One team for the whole portfolio.
Quoted in writing
Improvement work is priced before it starts. Members pay from £75 an hour.
EPC questions landlords ask
What is an EPC?
A rating from A down to G on how energy efficient a property is, with a recommendations report listing measures that would improve it. It must be produced by an accredited domestic energy assessor.
What rating does a rented property need?
Band E or better. Since 1 April 2020 a landlord cannot let, or continue to let, a property rated below E unless a valid exemption is registered. That applies to tenancies already running, not only new ones.
How long does an EPC last?
Ten years from the date it is lodged. Improving the property does not make the old certificate expire early, but a new assessment puts the better rating on record.
What is the penalty for letting a property below band E?
Up to £5,000 per property in total. If you think a property is below E, check the current certificate, get a fresh assessment if it is old, then either improve the property or register an exemption.
Is band C by 2030 the law?
No. EPC band C by 2030 is a stated government aim, not a confirmed legal deadline, and we will not publish any other date. The rule you have to meet today is band E, which has applied since 1 April 2020.
What improves an EPC rating most?
It depends on the building, and your own recommendations report is the honest answer. Broadly, insulation does the heavy lifting, heating controls and a more efficient boiler add a useful amount, and low energy lighting is a small cheap gain.
Do you carry out the EPC assessment yourselves?
No. An EPC must be produced by an accredited domestic energy assessor. We arrange the assessment and then carry out the improvement work it points at, which keeps the assessment independent of the firm doing the improvements.
Do you cover my area?
Everywhere inside the M25 and just outside it. If you are not sure, call us on 020 4634 2681 and we will tell you straight away.
The rest of the paperwork
An EPC is one of several things a rented property needs. There is also the electrical inspection every five years, the annual gas safety check and the rest of the landlord compliance checklist. We handle all of it through landlord certificates, and a membership brings the hourly rate down on any improvement work.
The energy efficiency duties on this page are taken from the GOV.UK guidance Domestic private rented property: minimum energy efficiency standard — landlord guidance and were last checked on 12 September 2026. Hem London is not an accredited energy assessor; Energy Performance Certificates are produced by accredited domestic energy assessors. This is a summary written to be useful, not legal advice, and the rules can change. Landlords remain responsible for confirming their own obligations.