You may be able to register an exemption where you cannot reach the required standard. Common grounds include:
All the relevant energy efficiency improvements have been made and the rating still falls below the target band.
Improvements cannot bring the property to the target band within the cost cap of £10,000 (including VAT), evidenced by receipts. Properties valued under £100,000 are subject to a lower cap of 10% of the property’s value.
A measure cannot be installed because of its negative impact on the building’s fabric or structure, for example certain wall insulation.
Third-party consent cannot be obtained, such as planning permission or consent from the tenant or a superior landlord.
Installing a measure would reduce the property’s market value by more than 5%, evidenced by a chartered surveyor’s report.
Penalties depend on the breach. Under the current regime the maximum financial penalty is £5,000 per property. From 1 October 2030 the maximum rises sharply, to £30,000 per property and per breach.
Funding schemes change over time, so we will help you identify what is available for your property at the time of the work.
Where a landlord secures some third-party funding, but less than the £10,000 cap and not enough to reach EPC C, the Regulations require the landlord to top up that funding from their own resources, provided the combined total does not exceed the £10,000 cap (including VAT). If the combined funding is enough to bring the property to EPC C, no further action is needed. If it is not, the landlord should install all measures that can be funded up to £10,000, then register an exemption on the basis that all relevant improvements have been made and the property remains below EPC C.
We can help you future-proof your portfolio for the confirmed MEES standard of EPC C by 1 October 2030. To do this we use the following tried and tested 8-stage process, which will either qualify each property as MEES compliant or put you in a position to apply for an exemption. Eligible spend from 1 October 2025 already counts towards your cost cap, so acting early reduces the work needed later.
Existing portfolio details are entered into an Excel workbook recording each property’s status: current rating, shortfall, EPC expiry date and a link to the existing EPC. The portfolio is then prioritised:
A. Very urgent: no EPC, or the EPC has expired.
B. Urgent: current EPC below band C, no access to modelling data.
C. Important: current EPC below band C, with access to modelling data.
D. No action required: valid EPC that already meets the MEES requirement.
A sample of the model results table can be provided on request. We produce one for each property that needs modelling. The example shows which measures the owner selected, and uses the pricing column to track spend, which is especially useful when applying for an exemption.
A draft EPC is produced to establish the gap between the current rating and the EPC C target. If the property already meets EPC C, and our invoice has been settled, the EPC is lodged and the process is complete. If it falls below EPC C, we will tell you and move to Stage 3.
We assess the draft EPC for obvious, easy-to-fix measures that close a small shortfall, such as low-energy lamps or hot water cylinder insulation, then proceed to Stage 4 or Stage 7 as appropriate.
We model all viable measures for the property using the draft EPC. Once our invoice has been settled, you receive a full list of measures, the number of points each one adds to the rating, and the resulting score.
You will have the information you need to decide which measures to implement. At this point we would also suggest looking into what funding is available for which measures
Once you confirm your chosen measures by email, we produce a draft EPC reflecting those measures
Throughout implementation we liaise with you and your tradespeople about the evidence required before lodgement.
Once acceptable evidence of the improvements has been received, the EPC is lodged and you can access it via the EPC Register. Even where the rating is still below EPC C, the EPC must be lodged as part of the exemption process. Full guidance is available at Domestic private rented property: minimum energy efficiency standard – landlord guidance on GOV.UK. Full information on this may be accessed at Domestic private rented property: minimum energy efficiency standard – landlord guidance – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
This is how we have helped letting agents and private landlords achieve MEES compliance and prepare their portfolios for the EPC C standard coming in 2030. We have capacity to begin with both your Stage 1 and Stage 3 properties straight away.
If you have any questions, or need urgent support, please get in touch. We can start scheduling assessments as soon as we have tenant contact details or you have arranged access.
A’s and B’s: Stage 1 properties. To proceed, please provide tenant contact details so we can arrange access, produce a draft EPC and establish whether modelling is required.
C’s: Stage 3 properties. We model the EPC and produce a list of viable measures to improve the rating. To talk through how this could work for you, please contact us.
