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EPC rules for UK landlords are changing from October 2026 — and a recent Nationwide report found that 67% of landlords have no idea it's coming.
This episode is here to make sure you're not in that 67%.
Energy Performance Certificates are about to get a major overhaul in England and Wales, and if you're a remote landlord managing UK property from abroad, these changes affect what you can rent, what you must upgrade, and how much it could cost you.
To break it all down, I'm joined by Tim Kampel of Box Property Solutions, who has spent nearly two decades doing EPCs day in, day out — as a domestic, commercial and retrofit assessor, and as a property investor himself.
Tim explains the new four-metric EPC system arriving in October 2026, which will score properties separately on fabric performance, heating system, energy cost, and smart readiness — replacing the single headline rating landlords are used to.
We cover the exemptions being removed, so heritage properties, HMOs where even a single room is let, and short-term rentals will all need a valid EPC.
We get into the big one: the requirement for most privately rented UK properties to reach EPC band C by 2030, with a £10,000 per-property spending cap.
Tim also gives an honest reality check on why EPC deadlines keep shifting, how the rules are being used as a political bargaining chip, and why "proposed" doesn't mean you can afford to ignore them.
And crucially for overseas landlords, Tim shares the single most important takeaway of the whole episode: under the new regime, you have to be able to prove everything — without evidence, the work simply won't count.
Please note this episode focuses on England and Wales; Scotland has its own EPC rules.
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What you'll learn:
The new four-metric EPC system coming to England and Wales in October 2026, and what each metric measures.
Which EPC exemptions are being removed, and why heritage homes, HMOs and short-term lets are now caught.
What the EPC band C by 2030 requirement means for UK landlords, and how the £10,000 spending cap works.
Why EPC deadlines keep getting pushed back, and how to plan around rules that aren't yet law.
The order EPC improvements should be tackled in, from fabric-first insulation to heating systems, and when that advice isn't practical.
Why a recent software change has pushed some properties up to a C rating automatically, and why it's worth getting reassessed.
How solar could become one of the smartest ways for landlords, especially HMO owners, to raise a rating and cut running costs.
Guest: Tim Kampel of Box Property Solutions — a domestic, commercial and retrofit EPC assessor with nearly twenty years' experience, and a property investor himself.
If you own or plan to buy UK rental property, understanding these EPC changes now — rather than in 2029 — could save you thousands and keep your properties legally lettable. Details of how to join our WhatsApp group for overseas investors are below.
Keywords
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