When do the new EPCs launch?

Originally October 2026, now delayed to the second half of 2027, with the exact date to be agreed by summer 2026. The underlying Home Energy Model (HEM) replaces the old RdSAP methodology.

Do landlords still need EPC C by 2030?

Yes. From 1 October 2030, all privately rented residential properties — existing and new lettings — must meet an EPC C equivalent standard under the proposed Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES). This deadline stands despite the EPC format delay.

What should landlords do now?

Prioritise fabric improvements — insulation, glazing, draught-proofing — because fabric performance becomes a mandatory component of compliance. Fabric upgrades count toward the new metrics and the 2030 EPC C requirement regardless of the format's exact launch date.

News & Updates

EPC Reform 2026-27: What the New Four-Metric System Means for Landlords

Q: What is changing about EPCs in the UK?

The Energy Performance Certificate is being reformed to show four headline metrics instead of one rating: fabric performance, heating system efficiency, smart readiness, and estimated energy cost. The new-style EPC was planned for October 2026 but, as confirmed in March 2026, the launch is now expected in the second half of 2027.

Q: Will gas boilers still pass under the new EPC?

Under the Government's January 2026 consultation proposals, fossil-fuel heating — including efficient condensing gas boilers — would be capped at Band D on the Heating System metric. A property would reach Band C via fabric performance plus either heating or smart readiness.

The reformed UK EPC scraps the single rating for four metrics — fabric performance, heating, smart readiness, and cost. Launch now slated for late 2027, but the 2030 EPC C rental deadline stands. What landlords need to plan for.

Photo by Giorgio Trovato on Unsplash

What's changing: The UK's Energy Performance Certificate is being reformed from a single A-G rating to four separate metrics — fabric performance, heating system efficiency, smart readiness, and estimated energy cost. The new-style EPC was planned for October 2026 but, as confirmed in March 2026, the launch has been pushed to the second half of 2027. Critically, the 2030 deadline stands: from 1 October 2030, all private rentals must meet an EPC C equivalent. Landlords should act on fabric improvements now, because fabric performance becomes mandatory for compliance.

The shift from one rating to four metrics

The current EPC gives a single A-G rating dominated by estimated energy cost. The reformed EPC — built on the new Home Energy Model (HEM), replacing the older RdSAP methodology — splits this into four headline metrics:

Fabric performance — how well the building retains heat (insulation, glazing, draught-proofing)
Heating system — the efficiency and carbon intensity of the heat source
Smart readiness — capacity to integrate with smart controls and demand response
Estimated energy cost — an annual running-cost indicator

The timeline (and the delay)

Originally October 2026 — the planned launch of the new-style EPC
Now second half of 2027 — confirmed in March 2026, with the exact date to be agreed by summer 2026
1 October 2030 — the deadline for all private rentals to meet EPC C equivalent (this has NOT moved)

The format delay does not relax the 2030 rental requirement — landlords still need to be planning improvements now.

The gas boiler cap — a big deal for landlords

Under the Government's January 2026 HEM:EPC consultation proposals, fossil-fuel heating — including efficient condensing gas boilers — would be capped at Band D on the Heating System metric. To reach Band C overall, the proposed approach is that a property would need Band C on fabric performance plus either the heating system or smart readiness metric.

The practical implication: a gas-heated property can still reach compliance, but it must lean on strong fabric performance and/or smart readiness — fabric upgrades become essential, not optional.

Why fabric performance is the priority

Under the new system, fabric performance is a mandatory component of compliance. That makes these the highest-priority landlord investments:

Cavity wall insulation
Loft insulation
Double or triple glazing
Draught-proofing
Floor insulation

These count toward the new metrics and the 2030 EPC C requirement regardless of the exact launch date — so they're safe to act on now.

What landlords should do now

Check your current EPC rating and expiry
Prioritise fabric improvements (insulation, glazing, draught-proofing)
Consider heating system upgrades where fabric alone won't reach Band C
Keep all improvement records and certificates with your property logbook
Budget ahead of the 2030 deadline — costs and installer availability tighten as it approaches

See our related guides: EICR for landlords, solar certification, and property logbook for house sales.

FAQs

Has the 2030 EPC C deadline been delayed too?

No. Only the EPC format reform was delayed (to H2 2027). The requirement for private rentals to reach EPC C equivalent by 1 October 2030 stands under the proposed MEES.

Will my current EPC still be valid?

Existing EPCs remain valid for their 10-year life. New-style EPCs apply to assessments carried out after the reform launches.

Do I need to replace my gas boiler?

Not necessarily — but under the proposals, gas heating is capped at Band D on the heating metric, so a gas-heated property must rely on strong fabric performance (and/or smart readiness) to reach Band C overall.

What is the Home Energy Model (HEM)?

HEM is the new assessment methodology replacing RdSAP. It underpins the four-metric EPC and aims to model real building energy performance more accurately.

Sources

GOV.UK: Energy Performance of Buildings consultations
Home Energy Model (HEM) technical documentation
MHCLG / DESNZ EPC reform announcements (March 2026)

Published 2026-06-08 by Jamie Dawson, Editor. Corrections: corrections@logbook.co.uk