Band C: you can let this today, and after 2030.
C clears the current MEES floor of band E and the band C standard that applies to private lets in England and Wales from 1 October 2030. Keep the certificate valid: you need an EPC in place whenever you market or re-let.
Band C is a SAP score of 69 to 80 GOV.UK SAP. It matters more than any other band right now, because C is the confirmed floor for privately rented homes in England and Wales from 1 October 2030 Gov response Jan 2026.
Is C a good rating?
It is the new normal. Band C is now the most common rating for both owner-occupied and private rented homes in England, at 49% and 48% EHS 2024-25, and 56% of all dwellings sit at C or above EHS 2024-25. A C-rated home is no longer ahead of the pack; it is the pack.
Why C is THE landlord threshold
The January 2026 government response confirmed a single compliance date: every privately rented home must meet an EPC C equivalent standard by 1 October 2030, or hold a valid exemption. The spend required is capped at £10,000 per property, and the cost-cap exemption lasts 10 years Gov response Jan 2026. If your rental is already C, an EPC showing it lodged before 1 October 2029 counts as compliant until it expires or is replaced Gov response Jan 2026; after that, the reformed metrics decide.
Getting a D to a C
The average English home scored 68 in 2024 EHS 2024-25, one point below the C boundary at 69. For many D-rated homes the gap is small: better heating controls, loft insulation top-ups and draught-proofing are the usual first moves, and your existing certificate lists its own recommendations GOV.UK. The improvement guide orders the options.
| Band | SAP score | Letting today (E floor) | Letting from 1 Oct 2030 (C floor) |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 92+ | Allowed | Allowed |
| B | 81-91 | Allowed | Allowed |
| C | 69-80 | Allowed | Allowed |
| D | 55-68 | Allowed | Works or exemption required |
| E | 39-54 | Allowed | Works or exemption required |
| F | 21-38 | Exemption required | Works or exemption required |
| G | 1-20 | Exemption required | Works or exemption required |
One band up: band B. One band down: band D. Or go back to the full A to G scale.