If a property can't reasonably reach the MEES minimum, you can register an exemption on the national PRS Exemptions Register. Exemptions last five years (six months for the new-landlord type) and do not renew automatically.
The six exemption types
- High cost — all relevant improvements would exceed the cost cap.
- All improvements made — everything possible has been done and the property is still below the minimum.
- Wall insulation — written expert advice says wall insulation would damage the property.
- Consent refused — a tenant, freeholder or planning authority refused consent for the works.
- Devaluation — a RICS report shows the works would devalue the property by more than 5%.
- New landlord — you recently became the landlord (temporary, 6 months).
Evidence matters
Each exemption needs supporting evidence — quotes, expert reports, refusal letters. Our platform tracks your exemptions and their expiry dates, and the improvement modelling can demonstrate when costs genuinely exceed the cap.