# EPC rating F or G: can you rent it out? (2026)

> F is 21 to 38 points, G is 1 to 20. Covered rentals in England and Wales cannot be let at F or G without an exemption. Fines, the £3,500 cap, cost to C.

- Canonical URL: https://epccalculator.com/epc-rating-f-and-g/
- Source: [GOV.UK, minimum energy efficiency standard: landlord guidance](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/domestic-private-rented-property-minimum-energy-efficiency-standard-landlord-guidance)
- Checked: 2026-10-26
- Structured data: https://epccalculator.com/data/epc-rating-f-and-g.json

This page includes a free interactive tool that runs in the browser and sends no data. The figures and rules it uses are the ones stated on this page, with their sources.

## The two lowest bands

| Band | Score | What it means for a private let today |
|---|---|---|
| F | 21 to 38 | Cannot be let without a registered exemption |
| G | 1 to 20 | Cannot be let without a registered exemption |

Since 1 April 2020, the rule covers existing tenancies as well as new ones ([GOV.UK](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/domestic-private-rented-property-minimum-energy-efficiency-standard-landlord-guidance)).

## If you are a landlord with an F or G

GOV.UK sets out three situations:

- **Planning a new tenancy:** reach E first, or register an exemption.
- **Already letting:** reach E straight away, or register an exemption.
- **Empty and not being let:** nothing is needed until you let it again.

The rules cover homes let on assured, regulated or domestic agricultural tenancies that are legally required to have an EPC. A home that does not need an EPC is not covered ([GOV.UK](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/domestic-private-rented-property-minimum-energy-efficiency-standard-landlord-guidance)).

## The £3,500 cap today

You are not currently required to spend more than £3,500, including VAT, on improvements. If E cannot be reached within that, make all the improvements you can up to the cap, then register an "all improvements made" exemption ([GOV.UK](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/domestic-private-rented-property-minimum-energy-efficiency-standard-landlord-guidance)). The list of exemptions is on our [exemptions page](https://epccalculator.com/epc-exemptions-and-the-cost-cap/). The calculator above works out a cap and what is left of it.

## Fines

| Breach | Maximum penalty |
|---|---|
| Letting a non-compliant home for less than 3 months | £2,000 and/or publication |
| Letting it for 3 months or more | £4,000 and/or publication |
| False or misleading information on the Exemptions Register | £1,000 and/or publication |
| Not complying with a compliance notice | £2,000 and/or publication |
| Total per property | £5,000 |

Source: [GOV.UK](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/domestic-private-rented-property-minimum-energy-efficiency-standard-landlord-guidance). Councils can act up to 18 months after a breach and publish the details for at least 12 months.

## What F and G cost to run and to fix

- **Running cost:** the English Housing Survey's modelled energy cost for a band G home was **£2,662 a year** in 2022, about two and a half times the £1,081 modelled for A to C ([EHS 2022-23](https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/english-housing-survey-2022-to-2023-energy/english-housing-survey-2022-to-2023-energy-report)). No separate F figure is published.
- **Cost to reach C:** £17,354 on average from F or G ([EHS 2024-25](https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/697a0f35005d288bf850deb2/2024-25_EHS_Headline_Report_on_Housing_Quality_and_Energy_Efficiency.pdf)), well above the £10,000 cap planned for 2030 (confirmed government policy, not yet law).
- **Homes that may never reach C:** the survey estimated about 440,000 homes, around 2% of the stock, could not reach C ([EHS 2023-24](https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/chapters-for-english-housing-survey-2023-to-2024-headline-findings-on-housing-quality-and-energy-efficiency/chapter-2-energy-efficiency)).

## If you rent an F or G home

Look the address up on the [register](https://epccalculator.com/how-to-check-your-epc-rating/), then search the public PRS Exemptions Register. It shows exempt properties and the penalties issued to landlords ([GOV.UK](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/domestic-private-rented-property-minimum-energy-efficiency-standard-landlord-guidance)). No exemption and no works? The local council enforces the standard.

## If you own and live in an F or G home

No minimum band applies to you. Start from the cheapest measures on your certificate and use the [route-to-C calculator](https://epccalculator.com/how-to-improve-an-epc-rating/). Each band you climb lowers the modelled running cost.

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