The rules today, and what's coming in 2030
The Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) decide whether you can let a home in England or Wales. Today, the bar is band E. In January 2026, the government confirmed a much higher bar for 2030. Here's what each one asks of you, side by side.
Today's rules compared with the 2030 plan
- Status
- TodayThis is the law now.2030 planConfirmed policy, not yet law.
- Minimum standard
- TodayBand E or better2030 planEquivalent to band C, tested on new certificate metrics
- When
- TodayApplies to all relevant tenancies since 1 April 20202030 planAll tenancies by 1 October 2030
- Most you're expected to spend
- Today£3,500 including VAT2030 plan£10,000 per property (10% of value if the home is worth under £100,000)
- Spend that counts
- TodaySince 1 October 20172030 planSince 1 October 2025
- Order of work
- TodayAny measures that raise the rating2030 planFabric first (insulation, glazing, draughts), then heating or smart readiness
- Grants
- TodayWhere third-party funding is available, today's cost cap doesn't apply: use the funding to reach band E.2030 planGrants such as ECO4 and Warm Homes: Local Grant are expected to count toward the cap. Boiler Upgrade Scheme money is not.
- If you hit the cap
- Today'All improvements made' exemption, five years ('high cost' if even the cheapest step is over £3,500)2030 planCost cap exemption, ten years
- Maximum fine per property
- Today£5,0002030 plan£30,000
| Rules todayThe law | 2030 planNot yet law | |
|---|---|---|
| Status | This is the law now. | Confirmed policy, not yet law. |
| Minimum standard | Band E or better | Equivalent to band C, tested on new certificate metrics |
| When | Applies to all relevant tenancies since 1 April 2020 | All tenancies by 1 October 2030 |
| Most you're expected to spend | £3,500 including VAT | £10,000 per property (10% of value if the home is worth under £100,000) |
| Spend that counts | Since 1 October 2017 | Since 1 October 2025 |
| Order of work | Any measures that raise the rating | Fabric first (insulation, glazing, draughts), then heating or smart readiness |
| Grants | Where third-party funding is available, today's cost cap doesn't apply: use the funding to reach band E. | Grants such as ECO4 and Warm Homes: Local Grant are expected to count toward the cap. Boiler Upgrade Scheme money is not. |
| If you hit the cap | 'All improvements made' exemption, five years ('high cost' if even the cheapest step is over £3,500) | Cost cap exemption, ten years |
| Maximum fine per property | £5,000 | £30,000 |
Sources: GOV.UK landlord guidance (updated May 2026) and the government response of 21 January 2026.
Want to know which of these apply to your home?
Check your homeThe £10,000 cap is not a grant
Under the 2030 plan, you'll be expected to spend up to £10,000 per home on the right improvements. Think of it as a ceiling on what you can be asked to spend, not money anyone gives you. The government reckons the average home will need about £5,400.
If your home's worth under £100,000, the cap is lower: 10% of its value. And if you reach the cap and the home still falls short, you can apply for a ten-year cost cap exemption.
Grants like the Energy Company Obligation (ECO4) and Warm Homes: Local Grant count toward the cap. Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) heat pump money doesn't, though you can still use it alongside your own. Today's £3,500 cap works a little differently: it doesn't apply at all where third-party funding is available.
Which work to do first
The 2030 standard comes in two parts, measured on new-style certificates. First there's a fabric standard: how well the building holds on to heat, through insulation, glazing and draught-proofing. Once you've met that (or you're exempt), the second part is heating or smart readiness, whichever you choose.
So if you fit a heat pump before insulating the loft, it may not count toward the cap. That's why every path here starts with the fabric.
If your home is already band C
If your home's rated C or better on a certificate lodged before 1 October 2029, it's expected to count as meeting the 2030 standard until that certificate expires or is replaced.
If it's below C by then, you'll need a new-style certificate before the work starts, and another once it's done.
What happens if a home falls short
Right now, councils can fine you up to £5,000 per home for letting below band E without a registered exemption. The 2030 plan raises that to £30,000 per home, per breach.
You register exemptions yourself, on the PRS Exemptions Register. We can't do that for you, but the ledger and documents you keep here are the evidence you'd be asked for.
Homes in Scotland and Northern Ireland
Everything here is for England and Wales. If your home's in Scotland or Northern Ireland, they have their own registers: Scottish EPC Register, Northern Ireland EPC Register.
See what this means for your home
We'll work out both sets of rules for your address.
Guidance only. MEES Path is not legal advice and cannot grant exemptions or certify compliance. A new Energy Performance Certificate and qualified advice confirm outcomes.