Do you need an EPC to rent out a property?
Yes. Letting carries a condition that selling does not: the EPC rating must meet the MEES minimum, currently band E. You must also give the tenant a copy at the start of the tenancy, and in England failing to serve it can invalidate a section 21 notice. NextDay EPC covers Rugby rentals.
- Band C is expected to become the requirement by 2030.
- F and G rated homes cannot be let without a registered exemption.
- The minimum has applied to continuing tenancies since April 2020.
- Keep evidence that the certificate was served on the tenant.
Yes — and letting carries an extra requirement that selling does not. You need a valid EPC before the property is marketed, and the rating must meet the minimum standard set by MEES. Currently that is band E.
What you need before a tenancy starts
- A valid EPC, commissioned before marketing, with the band shown in the advertisement
- A rating of band E or above, or a registered exemption
- A copy of the certificate given to the tenant at the start of the tenancy
That last point matters more than most landlords realise: in England, failure to serve the EPC can affect the validity of a section 21 notice. It is not merely a compliance box.
If the rating is F or G
You cannot lawfully let it. Not to a new tenant, and not on a continuing tenancy — that has been the position since April 2020. The options are to improve the property to at least E, or to register a valid exemption on the national PRS Exemptions Register with supporting evidence.
Plan for C, not E
Band E is today’s floor. Policy is moving it to band C for residential lettings by 2030, and on most Rugby rental stock that is a 15 to 25 point jump requiring fabric work. Any property you intend to still be letting at the end of the decade should be planned against C now, while you can sequence the work around voids and boiler replacements rather than against a deadline.
| Band | SAP score | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| A | 92–100 | Excellent — very low running costs |
| B | 81–91 | Very good — efficient modern home |
| C | 69–80 | Good — the target for rented homes by 2030 |
| D | 55–68 | Average — where most of the area sits |
| E | 39–54 | Below par — today’s legal minimum to let |
| F–G | 1–38 | Poor — cannot be let without works or an exemption |
HMOs and rooms
A house in multiple occupation generally needs a single EPC for the building where the whole property is let as one dwelling. Where individual rooms are let on separate tenancies and the building has never been sold or let as a whole, the position can differ — worth checking rather than assuming, particularly on converted properties around Overslade and Rugby town centre.
Next steps
Book a domestic EPC, read our landlord services page, or get a costed compliance plan through our MEES consultancy.
Looking for your own area? We have local EPC guides for Newbold on Avon, Overslade, Kings Newnham, Monks Kirby, Rugby town centre, Long Lawford, Brinklow, Bourton on Dunsmore and every other Rugby area.
