The Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) for England and Wales are set out in The Energy Efficiency (Private Rental Property) (England and Wales) Regulations 2015.  These regulations were made as directed by The Energy Act 2011.  Scotland has its own system for improving the energy efficiency of buildings which includes the Section 63 requirements for large non-domestic properties.

These regulations, providing only for a few specific exemptions, require that all privately rented properties must meet of exceed the minimum standards set.  This is established in terms of the EPC rating for the property and has initially been set at an “E” rating.  As the regulations take effect it will be increasingly difficult to let properties with an “F” or “G” rating without first improving them.