EPC for Landlords: MEES Compliance, Penalties and What to Do If You Score F or G
If you let residential property in Manchester, you need a valid EPC and you need it to show a rating of E or above. That is the law under the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES), and the penalties for non-compliance are real — up to £5,000 per property. Yet thousands of landlords across Greater Manchester still operate with expired certificates, F or G rated properties, or no EPC at all.
This guide sets out exactly what the law requires, what happens if your property falls below the minimum, and how to get compliant quickly and cost-effectively.
What Does the Law Actually Require?
Three separate legal requirements intersect for landlords:
1. You must have a valid EPC before marketing. Under the Energy Performance of Buildings Regulations 2012, a valid EPC must be available when a property is first advertised for let. The energy rating must be shown in all marketing materials, including online listings. Failure to provide an EPC carries a penalty of up to £5,000 per property.
2. The EPC must show a rating of E or above. The Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards, in force since April 2018 for new tenancies and April 2020 for all existing tenancies, prohibit letting a property rated F or G. You cannot grant a new tenancy, renew an existing tenancy, or continue an existing tenancy for a sub-standard property unless you have registered a valid exemption.
3. You must provide the EPC to tenants. A copy of the EPC must be given to prospective tenants free of charge at the earliest opportunity, and to new tenants at the start of the tenancy. Under the Renters' Rights Act 2025, compliance documentation including EPCs will need to be uploaded to the PRS Database (Property Portal) once it launches.
What Happens If Your Property Scores F or G?
A rating of F (21–38) or G (1–20) means the property does not meet the MEES minimum and you cannot legally let it without an exemption. You have two options:
Option 1: Improve the Rating to E or Above
This is the preferred route and is achievable for the vast majority of F or G rated properties in Manchester. Common improvement packages include:
- Loft insulation top-up to 270mm — often the cheapest and most effective single measure.
- Cavity wall insulation — if the property has unfilled cavity walls (common in 1930s–1990s builds across Sale, Stretford, Urmston and Prestwich).
- Boiler replacement — upgrading from a non-condensing boiler to a modern condensing combi.
- Heating controls — adding a room thermostat, programmer and thermostatic radiator valves.
- LED lighting — replacing all incandescent and halogen fittings.
- Draught proofing — sealing gaps around windows, doors and floorboards.
Our assessors use Easy software to model these improvements during the EPC visit. Easy runs the RdSAP calculation with each proposed measure applied, so you can see the predicted new rating before committing to any spending. This avoids over-investing in measures that deliver marginal SAP improvement and focuses your budget on the changes that actually move the band.
Option 2: Register an Exemption
If you can demonstrate that all cost-effective improvements have been made (up to a spending cap of £3,500 including VAT per property) and the rating is still F or G, you can register an exemption on the PRS Exemptions Register. Exemptions last for five years and must be renewed.
Other exemption categories include:
- Consent exemption — where a third party whose consent is needed (such as a freeholder, planning authority or mortgage lender) refuses to allow the improvements.
- Devaluation exemption — where an independent surveyor confirms that the improvements would reduce the property's value by more than 5%.
- New landlord exemption — a temporary six-month exemption for a person who has just become a landlord (for example through inheritance).
Penalties for MEES Non-Compliance
Local authority Trading Standards officers enforce MEES. Penalties are per property and can include:
- Up to £2,000 for letting a non-compliant property for less than three months.
- Up to £4,000 for letting a non-compliant property for three months or more.
- Up to £1,000 for providing false or misleading information on the PRS Exemptions Register.
- Up to £2,000 for failing to comply with a compliance notice.
Manchester City Council, Salford City Council and Stockport Council have all issued penalties under MEES. Enforcement is typically triggered by tenant complaints, letting agent due diligence checks, or council-led compliance sweeps in specific wards.
How Manchester Compliance Manages the Process
We see hundreds of EPC assessments a year across Greater Manchester and have a straightforward process for landlords with sub-standard ratings:
Step 1 — EPC assessment. Our accredited assessor visits the property and records all data into Easy software. Easy calculates the current rating and generates the recommendations report with estimated costs and SAP uplift for each improvement.
Step 2 — On-site modelling. The assessor runs improvement scenarios in Easy while still at the property. You see exactly which combination of measures lifts the rating to E (or C, if you are planning ahead for future MEES tightening) and what each scenario costs.
Step 3 — Recommendations and referral. We provide a clear, prioritised improvement plan. Where we can carry out the work ourselves — LED lighting installation, heating controls, and any electrical improvements — we quote directly. For boiler work, insulation and other trades, we refer to trusted local contractors we work with regularly.
Step 4 — Re-assessment. After improvements are completed, we carry out a fresh EPC to confirm the new rating. The updated certificate is lodged on the national register and sent to you, ready to provide to tenants and upload to the PRS Database when it launches.
The Wider Picture: EPC and Your Other Compliance Obligations
Your EPC sits alongside several other landlord compliance requirements that we can coordinate in a single programme:
- EICR (Electrical Installation Condition Report) — required every five years for rental properties.
- Gas Safety Certificate — required annually for properties with gas appliances.
- Smoke and carbon monoxide alarms — required on every storey and in rooms with a fixed combustion appliance.
- Renters' Rights Act obligations — including the PRS Database and the Decent Homes Standard for private rented housing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum EPC rating for a rental property?
Band E. Properties rated F or G cannot be legally let unless a valid exemption is registered on the PRS Exemptions Register.How much is the penalty for letting a non-compliant property?
Up to £5,000 per property. Penalties are cumulative, so a portfolio of non-compliant properties faces substantial total exposure.Can I still let my property while I improve the rating?
If the property is already let under an existing tenancy, you should carry out improvements as quickly as possible. You cannot grant a new tenancy for a property rated below E without a registered exemption.How much does it cost to move from F to E?
For a typical Manchester property, £1,000–£2,500 for a combination of loft insulation, heating controls, LED lighting and draught proofing. More substantial work like a boiler replacement costs more but pushes the rating higher.What if improvements won't get me to E?
If you spend up to £3,500 (including VAT) on cost-effective improvements and the property is still below E, you can register an exemption on the PRS Exemptions Register. The exemption lasts five years.Book Your EPC Assessment in Manchester
Manchester Compliance provides EPC assessments, on-site improvement modelling and re-certification for landlords across Greater Manchester. Our assessors use Easy software to calculate your current rating and model the most cost-effective route to compliance — during the same visit.
- Phone: 0161 706 1360 (Monday to Friday, 8 AM to 5 PM)
- Email: Info@manchestercompliance.co.uk
- Address: 25 Holden Clough Drive, Ashton-under-Lyne, OL7 9TH
- Price: From £85 + VAT per property