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Which MEES exemptions can a landlord register for an F or G rated rental?

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UKUpdated 6 October 2026 · Written by BuyMeWhiskey Editorial Team · How we check facts

You can't let an F or G rated home in England or Wales unless you register an exemption, and the six exemptions cover spending £3,500 without reaching E, high cost, wall insulation, refused consent, devaluation over 5% and new landlords; removing a fixture such as a shower isn't one of them.

Check your current EPC and its recommendations first, then register any exemption you qualify for on the PRS Exemptions Register via the GOV.UK landlord guidance.

Read the GOV.UK MEES landlord guidance

The rule in England and Wales today

Under the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES) Regulations, you can't let, or continue to let, a domestic private rented property with an EPC rating of F or G unless you've registered a valid exemption. That has applied to all relevant tenancies since 1 April 2020. Band E or above is compliant.

The rules cover properties that are both let on an assured, regulated or domestic agricultural tenancy and legally required to have an EPC. GOV.UK says a property marketed for sale or let, or modified, in the past 10 years will probably need one. An EPC lasts 10 years. If your property isn't covered, you can let it with an F or G rating.

Improve first, up to the £3,500 cost cap

The starting point is to improve the property to E. You never have to spend more than £3,500 including VAT, and you can count energy efficiency work you've paid for since 1 October 2017. If you can reach E for less, that's all you need to spend. Grants or other funding count towards the cap, but you may have to top up with your own money up to £3,500.

The measures must come from the recommendations in your EPC report (or a similar report such as a Green Deal Advice Report). If you install something that isn't on that list and the property still isn't an E, you can't register the "all relevant improvements made" exemption and can't let the property.

The six exemptions you can register

All relevant improvements made: you've done everything recommended that fits within £3,500 (or nothing can be done) and the property is still below E. Lasts 5 years.
High cost: even the cheapest recommended measure would cost more than £3,500. You need 3 quotes from qualified installers. Lasts 5 years.
Wall insulation: the only relevant measures are cavity, external or internal wall insulation, and you have expert advice that it would harm the property. Lasts 5 years.
Third-party consent: a tenant, superior landlord, mortgage lender, freeholder or planning authority refuses consent despite your efforts. Lasts 5 years, or until the tenancy ends if the tenant refused.
Property devaluation: an independent surveyor's report shows the work would reduce the property's value by more than 5%. Lasts 5 years.
New landlord: in certain circumstances, you get a temporary 6-month exemption from the date you became the landlord.

Exemptions only apply from the date you register them on the PRS Exemptions Register, using a One Login account. You upload your evidence (files up to 20 MB each). The register is public, so anyone can search it, and it also lists penalties. When an exemption ends, you have to try again to reach E or register a new exemption if one applies.

Penalties if you get it wrong

Councils enforce MEES. They can issue a compliance notice, and a penalty up to 18 months after a breach. The maximum penalties per property are:

up to £2,000 for letting a non-compliant property for less than 3 months, or £4,000 for 3 months or more
up to £1,000 for false or misleading information on the Exemptions Register
up to £2,000 for not complying with a compliance notice
a total cap of £5,000 per property, plus possible publication of the breach for at least 12 months

You can ask the council to review a penalty and then appeal to the First-tier Tribunal.

What's changing: EPC C by 2030

In its January 2026 consultation response, the government confirmed it plans to require privately rented homes in England and Wales to meet the equivalent of EPC C by 1 October 2030, with the cost cap raised to £10,000 and exemptions lasting 10 years. This needs new powers and regulations, which the government aims to bring into force in 2027. Until then, the legal minimum is still E with the £3,500 cap. If you're planning work now, it can make sense to choose measures that would also count towards C.

Maximum MEES penalties per property (England and Wales)

Worked example

Sam lets a flat in England with an F rating. In 2023 he spent £900 on loft insulation, which counts towards the cap because it was after 1 October 2017. That leaves £3,500 − £900 = £2,600 he could still be expected to spend.

His EPC recommends, in order: hot water cylinder insulation (£30), draught proofing (£120), low-energy lighting (£20) and high heat retention storage heaters (£1,800). Together these cost £30 + £120 + £20 + £1,800 = £1,970, which is within the £2,600 left. So he must install them.

If a new EPC then shows E or better: he's compliant and can let the flat. He doesn't need to spend the remaining £2,600 − £1,970 = £630.
If it's still F: he has made all the relevant improvements within the cap, so he registers the "all relevant improvements made" exemption, which lasts 5 years.

The cost of ignoring it: if Sam had let the flat at F for 4 months with no exemption and also put false information on the register, he could face up to £4,000 + £1,000 = £5,000, which is the maximum per property.

Can I remove a shower or other fixture to get a MEES exemption?#

No. Taking out a fixture isn't one of the six exemptions, which are based on the £3,500 cost cap, wall insulation, third-party consent, devaluation or being a new landlord. The 'all relevant improvements made' exemption only counts measures recommended in your EPC, and GOV.UK notes that modifying a property can mean a new EPC is needed. The honest route is to make the recommended improvements or register a genuine exemption.

What EPC rating do I need to rent out a property?#

In England and Wales you need an EPC rating of E or above to let a property covered by MEES, unless you've registered a valid exemption. F and G ratings are not allowed. The government plans to raise this to EPC C by 1 October 2030, but that isn't law yet.

How much do landlords have to spend to meet MEES?#

No more than £3,500 including VAT, and work done since 1 October 2017 counts towards it. If you can reach E for less, you only need to spend that much. If £3,500 of recommended measures still leaves you below E, you can register an exemption.

How long does a MEES exemption last?#

Most exemptions last 5 years from registration. The new-landlord exemption lasts 6 months, and a third-party consent exemption based on a tenant's refusal ends when that tenancy ends. After that you must try again to reach E or register a new exemption.

What is the fine for letting an F or G rated property?#

Councils can fine up to £2,000 for less than 3 months of non-compliant letting and up to £4,000 for 3 months or more. False information on the Exemptions Register can cost up to £1,000, and the total is capped at £5,000 per property. Councils can also publish details of the breach.

Do landlords need EPC C by 2030?#

The government confirmed in January 2026 that it intends to require EPC C or equivalent by 1 October 2030, with a £10,000 cost cap and 10-year exemptions. It still needs new legislation, which it aims to bring into force in 2027. For now, the legal minimum remains E.

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Sources

Figures checked against these sources on 6 October 2026. If a rule changes, we update the page and its date.

General information, not personal financial advice. Rules depend on your circumstances; check the official source or speak to a regulated adviser before acting.