Lets · In brief
EPC rules for an old rented house
Under the EPC rules for rented homes (MEES), a property must not be let below EPC E without a valid exemption, in force since 1 April 2020. The cost cap is £3,500 including VAT.
Most useful for: Landlords of older terraces, cottages and listed houses in England
Compiled from the sources at the end. Updated .
Older gault brick terraces raise a practical question: what work fits the house. The government's landlord guidance sets out the standard, the cap and the exemptions, and it is the place to check your own house. Do not assume that age, a listing or a conservation area puts a property outside the rules. Read the guidance, and rely on an exemption only if it clearly fits.
Choosing work in an older house
Older walls limit the easy answers. The 2026 version of Approved Document L, which takes effect on 24 March 2027, says historic and traditional dwellings should be improved only if it will not cause long-term deterioration of the fabric, with examples such as lime render or mortar. The Warm Homes Plan says solid wall insulation has become less viable after supply chain cost increases.
Heating is another route. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is open to owners of lets, and Ofgem says an installer can use alternative evidence where there is no valid EPC, though that is a scheme rule and does not change the letting standard. A replacement gas boiler faces a 92% efficiency floor in Part L, with an exceptional-circumstances route. Ask the assessor or installer what each option would do for your rating, since this page gives no savings or scores.
Listed and conservation area lets
Ask the conservation officer before changing anything that could affect the character of the building. The council decides. The South Cambs Listed Buildings guidance from 2009 lists fuel-efficient boilers and thermostatically controlled radiators among ways to improve a listed building's efficiency, but services can still need consent. See Part L in listed homes for how that rule works, since its exemption is not blanket either.
Any building built or refurbished before 2000 may contain asbestos. Do not disturb suspect boards or coatings, and tell contractors before they start, including anyone fitting insulation.
Sources, read 4 November 2026: GOV.UK: domestic minimum energy efficiency standard; Approved Document L, 2026; Approved Document L, 2021 with 2023 amendments; Warm Homes Plan; South Cambs Listed Buildings guidance, 2009; GOV.UK: Boiler Upgrade Scheme eligibility; Ofgem: Boiler Upgrade Scheme guidance for property owners; HSE: asbestos questions.