Check whether the property and tenancy are within scope. A low rating needs the relevant improvements or a properly registered exemption, supported by evidence. Keep proposed future standards separate from current requirements.
Check the certificate and the letting
Read the EPC for the correct dwelling and establish whether the property and tenancy fall within the minimum-energy rules.
- Match the address, certificate date and rating to the home being let. A certificate for a whole house may not describe a later self-contained flat.
- For an in-scope letting in England or Wales, check the current minimum E requirement and any valid exemption. Do not describe a proposed future C target as today's blanket rule.
- Check advertising and provision requirements separately from the minimum standard. Keep evidence of what was supplied to the applicant or tenant.
Plan improvements and exemptions properly
The certificate's recommendations are a starting point for investigation, not a contractor's design.
- Obtain appropriate advice on cost, suitability, ventilation and any permissions. Insulation work can affect moisture and must fit the building.
- If relying on an exemption, check its conditions, supporting evidence, registration and expiry. A landlord's own statement that work is too expensive is not automatically an exemption.
- Record completed measures and obtain a new assessment where appropriate to establish the resulting rating.
Recheck after changes
Use property events to trigger a review rather than waiting for an annual diary entry alone.
- Reassess after purchase, conversion, major energy work or a change in letting arrangements. Check whether an inherited exemption continues to apply.
- Keep EPC and exemption evidence accessible to an agent advertising the property.
- Where a deadline, certificate expiry or proposed law change is unclear, check the official guidance for that circumstance before deciding the home can be marketed.
Example: a quoted improvement may worsen condensation
A fictional landlord proposes sealing draughts and adding insulation to improve the rating. Include ventilation and moisture assessment in the scope so the improvement does not leave the home with inadequate air movement. Keep the design and resulting EPC evidence.
What to do
- Read the actual EPC and check the property it covers.
- Check MEES scope and any exemption evidence.
- Plan improvements with ventilation and building approval in mind.
Evidence to keep
- EPC and recommendation report
- Improvement invoices or exemption registration
Sources and guidance
- Domestic minimum energy efficiency standardsUK Government · checked 20 October 2026