Complying with MEES: Improve your EPC rating before the deadline

Landlords can also prepare for the deadline by checking if a property is exempt under the MEES regime. Some exemptions include:

1. All possible improvements have been made: landlords can rely on this exemption if they have carried out all relevant improvements or cannot make any improvements to change the sub-standard rating of the property;
2. If a landlord has used all reasonable efforts to obtain consent and cannot gain such consent from any relevant third parties (such as the local authority) or the tenant to carry out the necessary EPC improvements;
3. If a landlord has received a surveyor’s report which concludes that any improvements would devalue the property’s market value by 5%;
4. If someone has just recently become a landlord, they can benefit from a temporary exemption as it will be unreasonable to expect the landlord to comply with MEES regulations instantly. This temporary exemption last for 6 months.

The exemptions come with complex and ongoing conditions: they last for 5 years and require registration on the PRS Exemptions Register.

Landlords should also be aware that the government aims to increase the minimum standard of EPC ratings in the future: by 2027, the government intends to raise the standard of EPC ratings to a C and then achieve a rating of at least B by 2030. Keeping pace with the changes is crucial and landlords must make their obligation under the MEES regime a priority.