Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES)
Introduction
The current effect of the 'Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards' (MEES) legislation is that since 1st April 2020, properties covered by the MEES Regulations that are rented out by private landlords must meet an EPC rating of band E or better. Exemptions are available for specific circumstances.
Up to date information about MEES is available via the link below. Included on the Government website are tests to indicate whether your let property is subject to the requirements of the legislation, and details of the £3500 cost cap on improvements, and how to register exemptions:
Moving Forwards (England & Wales)
The new Labour Government of 2024 intend to change the format of EPCs and increase the minimum level of energy performance of building in the Private Rental Sector (PRS).
To this end, they have issued two sets of consultation which indicate their suggested way forward and invite comments from all parties.
In essence, the mandatory C rating of EPCs is back on the table, with new tenancies requiring this rating from 2028 and existing tenancies from 2030.
EPCs are also likely to change to multi-metric indicators in 2026 rather than the single metric that they currently show. For new EPCs issued from that point onwards, landlords will need to meet a particular rating in a 'building fabric' metric plus one other metric such as 'heating system' or 'smart readiness'.
Further information on this is available on our The Future Of Domestic EPCs page.
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