Landlord EPC C Improvement Report
An accurate route to EPC C, from an experienced assessor
It starts with an accurate EPC, then recommendations that include measures outside those of a standard EPC. Bristol and the BS postcode area.
Why a C obtained now matters
Today a rental property in England and Wales requires a minimum EPC of E. In January 2026 the government confirmed a plan to raise that to C by 1 October 2030. That plan still needs legislation, which the government aims to have in force in 2027, so the details below describe the stated plan rather than rules already in force.
Under that plan, an EPC of C or above lodged before 1 October 2029 counts as compliant until the certificate expires. EPCs in England and Wales last ten years, so a C obtained now covers the property well into the 2030s, on the current assessment method, before the new-style EPCs replace it.
- Landlords are expected to spend up to £10,000 per property, or 10% of its value where the property is worth under £100,000.
- Money spent on relevant improvements from 1 October 2025 is planned to count towards that cap, including the cost of the EPC and advice such as this report.
- A property that is not at C, not covered by a certificate lodged in time and not under a registered exemption could face fines of up to £30,000 per property.
How it works, in three steps
1. The EPC
From £75
An EPC at the normal price for the size of property, from £75 for one bedroom. Carried out carefully, with evidence gathered before the visit, so the rating reflects the property rather than default assumptions.
2. The improvement report
£99
Recommendations for reaching a C, drawn from experience of how the assessment method actually scores a property. They include measures that can affect the rating but rarely appear on a standard EPC, set out in a sensible order.
3. The return visit
£49
Once the work is done, a return visit to re-survey what changed and lodge the new certificate, included in the price.
A three-bedroom property comes to £243 for all three steps, with no VAT. The EPC can be booked on its own. If the EPC does not reach a C, the report can be ordered, and a return visit is only needed if work is carried out.
Why a standard EPC is not enough
Accuracy comes first. Where evidence is missing, an EPC falls back on default assumptions, and those can understate a property. An assessor who gathers the right evidence before the visit, and knows how to classify what they find, produces a rating that reflects the property as it really is. Some properties turn out closer to a C than an older or quicker certificate suggests.
Then the recommendations. The list on a standard EPC is generated automatically from a fixed set of measures. It leaves out options an experienced assessor knows can move the rating, such as airtightness testing. Finding those, for this particular property, is what the report is for.
Carried out by an accredited domestic energy assessor and PAS 2035 Retrofit Assessor, with hundreds of assessments across Bristol.
Typical cases
Every property is different, but these are cases we handle regularly.
Close to a C: small changes
A property sitting just below C, where the gap can often be closed with better heating controls, replacement windows or top-up insulation. Smart thermostats and room-by-room controls only count if the right model is recorded, so getting the detail right matters as much as the upgrade itself.
All electric: careful advice
A flat or house heated entirely by electricity, where the wrong choice of heater can make things worse. Replacing old storage heaters with panel heaters lowers the rating rather than raising it. A high heat retention storage heater only counts properly if the exact model is on the national product database; otherwise it is recorded as a basic heater, which can be the difference between a C and a D. The model is worth checking before it is bought, not after.
Older or converted: evidence matters
An older or converted building where default assumptions understate how it was built. Building control sign-off, dated architect’s drawings or proof of later insulation can allow the real construction to be recorded instead of a pessimistic default, which on its own can move the rating.
Where exemptions come in
Some properties cannot reasonably reach a C, and an exemption may apply. The report can set out the recommended improvements and exactly what evidence an application would need. The evidence itself has to come from elsewhere: the three installer quotes must be obtained by the landlord, and a devaluation claim needs a report from an independent RICS surveyor.
Start with the EPC
Book the EPC online. If the property comes out below C, the improvement report can follow on from the same visit.
The report predicts the likely effect of the recommended improvements. The final rating depends on the work as installed and the evidence available at the return visit, so a C is not guaranteed. This is not legal advice. The 2030 dates and figures describe the government’s plan as confirmed in January 2026, which still requires legislation.
The 2030 timeline
Every date that matters, one at a time. Press Next.
Since 1 April 2020
A rental property requires a minimum EPC E
The only legal minimum today. Fines up to £5,000.
Law now
More info
Every private residential tenancy requires an EPC of E or better unless an exemption is registered. The spending cap under these rules is £3,500.
1 October 2025
Energy spend starts to count
Every invoice from this date should be kept.
Government’s stated plan
More info
Once the new regulations apply, money spent on relevant energy efficiency measures installed from this date counts towards the £10,000 cap.
21 January 2026
Policy confirmed
EPC C for every tenancy by 1 October 2030.
Published
More info
The government published its response to the consultation: a £10,000 cap, a £30,000 maximum fine and a new set of exemptions. It still needs an Act of Parliament and regulations.
9 March 2026
New EPCs delayed
Moved from October 2026 to the second half of 2027.
Published
More info
The exact launch date has not been confirmed. Nothing on this page depends on it arriving on a particular day.
Now: September 2026
You are here
The four dates before this have happened. Everything after it is still to come.
An EPC lasts ten years. Over that time the method and the weightings change, most recently to RdSAP 10, so an older rating can now score higher or lower.
31 March 2027
Zero-rate VAT due to end
Insulation and low-carbon heating cost more after this date.
Law now
More info
Zero-rate VAT on energy-saving materials and low-carbon heating is currently due to end. Work of that kind planned for later carries VAT.
2027
New law and new EPCs
The rules become law and the new-style EPCs arrive.
Government’s stated plan
More info
The government’s aim is for the Act and regulations to come into force this year. The new EPCs replace the single A to G rating with separate metrics and use a new calculation method, the Home Energy Model (HEM). They keep showing the old A to G rating, called the EER, as a legacy figure until at least the end of 2029.
Before 1 October 2029
Last day to lodge a C on today’s rating
A C lodged before this date counts until the EPC expires.
Government’s stated plan
More info
This is called grandparenting: an older rating carries on counting under the new rules. A property scoring C or above on the EER, on an EPC lodged before this date, counts as compliant until that EPC expires or is replaced. It is the deadline for the simplest route: reaching C on today’s EPC.
2029
Updated guidance
GOV.UK guidance on the C standard and the new exemptions.
Government’s stated plan
More info
The government intends to update its guidance on the higher standard and the new exemptions in this year.
1 October 2030
A rental property requires a minimum EPC C
Every tenancy must be at C, grandparented, or exempt.
Government’s stated plan
More info
Local authority enforcement starts. The maximum fine is £30,000 per property per breach. There is no separate date for new tenancies: one deadline, all tenancies.
After October 2030
Reviews and renewals
The cap is reviewed every five years. Ten-year exemptions expire.
Government’s stated plan
More info
When a ten-year exemption expires the landlord must try again to meet the standard or register a new one.
Now
What to do this year
- Check the rating, the number and the expiry date. Find the EPC.
- Book an accurate EPC. Below C, the improvement report sets out the route.
- Keep every invoice for energy work from 1 October 2025.
Last reviewed: 9 September 2026. General information, not legal advice. Check GOV.UK for the current position.
What the labels mean
Law now In force today.
Government's stated plan Confirmed policy. Needs Parliament before it applies.
Published An announcement, not a rule.
Questions
Is this law yet?
No. A rental property requires a minimum EPC E today. The C standard was confirmed as government policy on 21 January 2026, but it still needs an Act of Parliament and regulations, which the government aims to have in force in 2027.
The EPC is already a C. Is anything needed?
Under the government's stated plan, a C or above on the EER (the A to G rating on today's EPC), lodged before 1 October 2029, counts until that EPC expires or is replaced. The expiry date is the one to diary. After that the property is assessed on the new metrics.
The EPC is a D. Is it really a D?
Maybe not. An EPC lasts ten years, and over that time the method and the weightings behind the rating change. The current method is RdSAP 10. The same property, unchanged, can now score higher or lower than the certificate says: a D in the high 60s could be a C, or a lower D. An accurate new EPC shows where the property stands before any money is spent.
The EPC expires before 2030. What then?
Renew before 1 October 2029, while the old A to G rating still counts. If the new EPC scores C or above, that covers the property until it expires. Under RdSAP 10 the result may differ from the current certificate, and if it falls short the improvement report sets out the route back to C.
What counts towards the £10,000?
Money spent on relevant measures installed from 1 October 2025, including VAT, plus the cost of the EPCs and some specialist retrofit advice (amount to be confirmed). Grants such as the Warm Homes: Local Grant and ECO4 count towards the cap, but Boiler Upgrade Scheme money does not. ECO4 ends in 2026 and is not being renewed. For a property worth under £100,000, the cap is 10% of its value. The government's estimate of the average spend to comply is £5,400.
What happens if nothing is done?
Today, nothing changes while the property is E or above with a valid EPC. Under the stated plan, from 1 October 2030 a property that is not at C, grandparented or covered by a registered exemption can be fined by the local authority, up to £30,000 per property per breach.
What is still unknown
Not yet published by the government.
- The exact launch date of the new EPCs.
- Where the C line sits on the new metrics.
- The evidence rules and registration process for the new exemptions.
- A portfolio version of the cost cap for larger landlords. Being explored, not confirmed.
- Whether planning or listed-building-consent costs count towards the cap.
- How much retrofit advice can be counted in the cap.
- When the PRS Database under the Renters' Rights Act goes live.
Where this comes from
Everything on this page is taken from these documents.