Question 1

What is MEES?

Accepted Answer

Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) are UK regulations that set a minimum EPC rating for privately rented property. Since April 2018 a property could not be let on a new tenancy with an EPC below E. From April 2020 the same rule extended to all existing tenancies. The government has consulted on raising the standard to EPC C for new tenancies from 2028 and all tenancies from 2030.

Question 2

What are the penalties for breaching MEES?

Accepted Answer

Civil penalties up to £30,000 per breach (raised from £5,000 in April 2025), plus publication of the breach on the PRS Exemptions Register. Repeated breaches can compound. Local authorities enforce — and increasingly are doing so in cities with active landlord licensing schemes.

Question 3

What if I can't afford to improve the EPC rating?

Accepted Answer

Register a high-cost exemption on the PRS Exemptions Register if cost-cap compliant improvements (currently £3,500 inc VAT) cannot raise the property to E. Other exemptions cover wall insulation that would damage the property, third-party consent refusals (tenant or freeholder), and recent property purchases (six months). Exemptions are time-limited and must be re-registered.

Question 4

Does this apply to HMOs and commercial property?

Accepted Answer

MEES applies to most assured shorthold tenancies, regulated tenancies and domestic agricultural tenancies. HMOs are caught if they are individually rated F or G. Commercial property has its own MEES regime (since April 2018 for new lets, April 2023 for all lets, with proposals to require EPC C by 2027 and B by 2030).

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