MEES — the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards — is the law that sets the minimum EPC rating a privately rented home in England and Wales must have.
The rule today
Since April 2020, a property must have an EPC rating of band E or better to be let (Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property) Regulations 2015). Letting an F or G property without a registered exemption carries penalties of up to £5,000 per property, and the breach is published on a public register.
What applies today
The minimum is EPC band E, and the most you can be required to spend is £3,500 including VAT. If reaching band E would cost more than that, you can register a high-cost exemption instead of spending. Maximum penalties are £5,000 per property.
What may be coming
Government has stated an aim to raise the minimum to band C by 2030. This is a stated aim, not yet law — no date is fixed, and the higher cost cap and penalties discussed in consultation are provisional. A band-C requirement was proposed once before, for 2025/2028, and dropped in 2023, so plan for it without treating the figures as settled.
What you should do now
Check every property's current band and expiry date, and find out what reaching band C would actually cost you — because that number decides whether you improve or claim an exemption, under today's rules as much as any future ones. Our tool imports your EPCs automatically and models the cheapest route for each property.