Two of the biggest changes to hit the private rented sector in decades are landing at the same time. The Renters' Rights Act 2025 takes effect on 1 May 2026, abolishing fixed-term tenancies. Meanwhile, the EPC C deadline for 1 October 2030 is approaching fast. If you're a landlord wondering how these two reforms interact — and whether one affects the other — this guide gives you a straight answer.
What Is the Renters' Rights Act 2025?
The Renters' Rights Act 2025 received Royal Assent and is now law. Phase 1 of the Act takes effect on 1 May 2026, introducing the following key changes:
- Section 21 'no fault' evictions are abolished — landlords can no longer reclaim possession without a valid ground.
- All existing Assured Shorthold Tenancies (ASTs) automatically convert to periodic (open-ended) tenancies on 1 May 2026.
- No new fixed-term ASTs can be created after that date. All tenancies going forward are periodic from the start.
- New landlord possession grounds under Section 8 are updated to reflect the end of Section 21.
The change is fundamental. By 2 May 2026, every residential tenancy in the private rented sector will be periodic. That's the starting point for understanding how EPC rules apply.
Does the Renters' Rights Act Change EPC Rules?
No — the EPC C deadline is unchanged. The 2030 EPC C requirement is set by separate legislation (the MEES Regulations, updated via the Warm Homes Plan consultation). The Renters' Rights Act does not amend or accelerate EPC requirements.
The confirmed position, as stated in the government's partial response to the EPB Regulations consultation (21 January 2026), is:
All privately rented properties in England and Wales must meet EPC C or equivalent by 1 October 2030, unless a valid exemption applies.
This applies to new tenancies and existing tenancies alike. One deadline, all properties.
Will My AST Converting to Periodic on 1 May 2026 Trigger a New EPC Requirement?
This is the question most landlords are asking — and the answer is no.
Under current MEES regulations, an EPC requirement is triggered when a property is let to a new tenant or a new tenancy agreement is created. The statutory conversion happening on 1 May 2026 is not a new letting or a new tenancy agreement — it is a legislative change to the type of your existing tenancy.
Your existing tenancy continues. Your existing tenant remains. The EPC requirement does not reset.
You do not need to arrange a new EPC or upgrade your property to EPC C simply because your AST becomes a periodic tenancy on 1 May 2026.
What Does Count as a "New Letting" Under MEES?
A new MEES obligation is triggered when:
- You let a property to a new tenant for the first time
- An existing tenancy ends and a new tenancy agreement is signed with the same or a different tenant
Rolling from an AST into a statutory periodic tenancy on 1 May 2026 does not meet either of these conditions.
What Is the EPC Deadline, and Does It Cover My Existing Tenancies?
Yes — the 2030 EPC C deadline applies to all privately rented properties, regardless of when the tenancy started.
The government's implementation roadmap for the Renters' Rights Act confirms:
"All domestic privately rented properties in England and Wales are expected to meet MEES of EPC C or equivalent by 2030, unless a valid exemption applies."
This means:
| Tenancy situation | EPC C required by | |---|---| | New tenancy starting in 2026 | 1 October 2030 | | Existing AST converting to periodic (1 May 2026) | 1 October 2030 | | Long-running tenancy in place since 2015 | 1 October 2030 | | HMO whole-house certificate | 1 October 2030 (with 24-month HMO transitional period) |
There is no "grandfathering" for older tenancies. 2030 is the deadline across the board.
How Do the Act's Changes Affect HMO Landlords?
HMO landlords face a double change. Under the Renters' Rights Act, the same conversion to periodic tenancies applies to HMOs. But there's an additional EPC change on the horizon.
The government's EPB consultation response (January 2026) confirmed that HMOs will be required to hold a whole-house EPC when any single room is let. Previously, many HMO landlords operated without a whole-house certificate, relying on room-level assessments or assuming EPC requirements didn't apply.
The transitional period for HMO landlords to obtain a whole-house EPC is 24 months from the relevant commencement date. This gives HMO operators more time than standard BTL landlords, but the direction of travel is clear — whole-house EPC C by 2030 for HMOs too.
The Private Rented Sector Database: How It Affects EPC Compliance
The Renters' Rights Act includes a new Private Rented Sector Database that all landlords must register with. While this isn't live yet, it's worth understanding what it means for EPC compliance.
The database is designed to give tenants, councils, and government visibility over rental properties and their compliance status. EPC ratings are a core piece of that data. Once the database is operational:
- Your EPC rating will be visible alongside your property registration
- Local councils will have easier tools to identify non-compliant F/G rated properties
- The £5,000 fines for MEES non-compliance will become easier to enforce
This doesn't change your obligations — but it does make them harder to ignore.
Is There Any Update on "EPC Required Throughout the Tenancy"?
Currently, landlords must have a valid EPC when marketing a property or starting a new tenancy — but there's no requirement to maintain a valid EPC throughout an existing tenancy.
The government has been consulting on whether this should change. The January 2026 partial response confirmed that an updated position on whether EPCs should remain valid throughout a tenancy will be published in a separate MHCLG consultation response in 2026.
For now: the requirement is at letting/marketing stage. Watch this space — a change here would affect all landlords with long-running tenancies.
What Should Landlords Do Now? Checklist
Given both reforms, here is what you should be doing in the lead-up to 1 May 2026 and beyond:
EPC compliance:
- [ ] Check your current EPC rating — use our postcode EPC lookup tool to find it quickly
- [ ] If you're rated D, E, F or G — estimate your upgrade costs now, before costs rise
- [ ] If your EPC is more than 10 years old, book a reassessment — an old EPC may not reflect recent works
- [ ] If you have an HMO without a whole-house EPC, start that process now (24-month window starts from commencement date)
Renters' Rights Act:
- [ ] Familiarise yourself with the updated Section 8 possession grounds (Section 21 is gone from 1 May 2026)
- [ ] Review your tenancy agreements — fixed terms effectively become periodic on 1 May 2026 with no action required from you
- [ ] Register for the PRS Database when it opens (details to be announced by MHCLG)
Both:
- [ ] Don't confuse the two reforms. The Renters' Rights Act doesn't bring forward your EPC deadline. 2030 remains the target.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need a new EPC when my AST becomes a periodic tenancy on 1 May 2026?
No. The statutory conversion of ASTs to periodic tenancies is not treated as a new letting for MEES purposes. Your existing EPC (if valid) remains in force.
Does the Renters' Rights Act bring forward the EPC C deadline?
No. The EPC C deadline of 1 October 2030 is set independently by the MEES Regulations. The Renters' Rights Act does not change this date.
Will I be fined if my property is EPC D or E in 2026?
Not for being D or E. The current MEES minimum is EPC E — properties rated F or G that are being let face fines of up to £5,000. Properties rated D or E are currently compliant, though they'll need to reach C by 2030.
How do the Renters' Rights Act and the Warm Homes Plan work together?
The Warm Homes Plan (which includes the EPC C by 2030 target and the £10,000 cost cap) is the government's energy efficiency policy. The Renters' Rights Act is tenancy law reform. They run in parallel, with the same landlords affected by both — but they are separate instruments with separate enforcement mechanisms.
What happens to my EPC if I start a brand new tenancy after 1 May 2026?
You'll need a valid EPC (currently minimum E, rising to C by 2030) before marketing the property. Exactly as before. The Act doesn't change this trigger — new tenant = new EPC requirement check.
Understanding where the Renters' Rights Act ends and the EPC rules begin is key to planning your compliance without unnecessary stress or cost. The short version: 1 May 2026 changes your tenancy structure. 1 October 2030 is your EPC deadline. The two don't conflict.
Want to know where your properties stand today? Check your current EPC rating with our free postcode lookup or estimate what it'll cost to reach EPC C.