MEES have been raised - what landlords need to know (and do) now
At the beginning of the year, the Government published the Warm Homes Plan, confirming new Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES). However, a subsequent delay to reforms of the underpinning Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) framework has created uncertainty around how these standards will be implemented and assessed in practice.
To help landlords navigate these changes with confidence, TerraQuest and Planning Portal have teamed up with Ecofurb to share clear, in-depth guidance designed specifically for landlords - demystifing what the latest updates mean in practice:
What the updates mean for landlords
At Ecofurb, we think the recently announced delay is good news. It gives policy makers the time to ensure that reform delivers the improvements required, while giving landlords the opportunity to comply with the 2030 target using tried and tested approaches.
Below, is a landlord focused guide to new rules and how to navigate them.
New Minimum Energy Efficiency standards apply in 2030
The Warm Homes Plan confirms that all rental properties - both new and existing tenancies - must achieve an EPC Rating of C by 1 October 2030.
While this gives landlords a four-year window to adapt, the sheer volume of homes requiring upgrades means the supply chain will tighten quickly. The Government is expecting 1.6 million homes in the private rented sector to require work under the new regulations, alongside 1.3 million homes in the social rented sector.
Key Details
• The Cost Cap is £10,000: Landlords are only required to invest up to this amount per property to meet the standard. Once this limit is reached, no further spend is mandated. All eligible costs can count towards the cap, so keeping receipts is important.
• "Grandparenting" Clause: This is critical. Properties that achieve an EPC C under the current assessment regime before October 2029 will be deemed compliant until that certificate expires (usually ten years).
• New EPC Metrics: The Government has confirmed that a new EPC framework is coming in 2027, focusing on:
- Fabric performance - how easy is it to heat the house?
- Heating system - how efficient is the heating system, and is it run on fossil fuels?
- Smart readiness - can the property adapt energy use in response to peak and off-peak pricing, and does it incorporate on-site renewable energy sources such as solar PV?
Why you should act now (The "grandparenting" advantage)
The "grandparenting" rule is the most important detail for proactive landlords.
The upcoming EPC reforms (due 2027) will likely introduce stricter metrics on fabric efficiency. However, by upgrading your property to a 'C' now - using the current Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) - you lock in compliance for ten years.
Waiting is a gamble. If you wait until 2028 or 2029, you will be assessed under the new, more complex metrics. Acting now secures your asset's status and avoids the inevitable installer price hikes as the 2030 deadline looms.
What happens in ten years?
In a decade’s time, clean heat - most likely in the form of heat pumps - is expected to become the new normal. Installation costs should fall as the supply chain responds to current investment and innovation, particularly as geopolitical pressures continue to strengthen the case for more efficient electric heating.
So whilst further investment may still be required in the future, the Government’s aim is that, down the line, both the cost and disruption associated with installing a heat pump will be comparable to replacing a boiler.
How Ecofurb makes the process simple
We know that a spend of up to £10,000 per home is worrying for landlords. You’ll want to ensure any investment is as cost-effective as possible, and that every pound spent delivers a meaningful improvement to your EPC rating.
Ecofurb makes that happen. We’ve helped landlords of over 2 million homes plan for minimum energy efficiency standards, and we’re ready to support many more - whether you have one property or a portfolio of hundreds or thousands of homes.
1. Check
To comply with MEES you need an EPC C rating, which will stay valid for ten years. We’ll run your property data through the latest calculator to identify if you should get a new EPC done now, or whether it’s likely some work will be required to get you to a Band C.
2. Advice
If you think work may be required, or exemptions may apply, we survey your home to tell you exactly which combination of measures will get you to Band C for the lowest capital cost, and what exemptions may apply. Our One Stop Shop service assigns a Retrofit Coordinator to give you independent advice. We’ll aim for ‘Band C’, with the option to upgrade your plan to incorporate additional goals, such as reducing carbon emissions or prioritising specific measures.
3. Install
Need work done? We’ll get you a free quote; but we don't just find the installers - we make sure they do a good job. We ensure the work is compliant with industry standards, and our installers know that final payments aren’t paid until we’re satisfied that’s the case.
We’ll also let you know if grants are applicable, and how they relate to the cost cap. For example, the Warm Homes Plan hasconfirmed the continuation of the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS), as well as introducing new Warm Homes Local Grants for eligible properties.
The bottom line
We were expecting a complex handover this year to the new EPC framework, instead there is now a window to get work done, secure your compliance under current rules, and protect the value of your portfolio.
