Gas Boiler Ban: What It Means for Landlords
Updated 9 October 2026 · SEO Dons Editorial
The short answer
There is no gas boiler ban for existing homes in England. Checked against GOV.UK on 8 October 2026, no regulation in force stops a landlord replacing a gas boiler with a new gas boiler. The firm rule that is coming covers new homes in England: the Future Homes Standard, in force from 24 March 2027, requires low carbon heating, and gas boilers will not meet it.
The “2035 gas boiler ban” often quoted online was a stated ambition, not a law. The current government’s Warm Homes Plan does not set a date for ending gas boiler installation in existing homes.
What policy actually says, dated
| Policy | Status on 8 October 2026 | What it means for a rental |
|---|---|---|
| Future Homes Standard (England, new homes) | Response published March 2026; regulations laid; in force 24 March 2027 with a 12 month transition | New build lets will have low carbon heating, not gas boilers |
| Heat and Buildings Strategy (October 2021) | Ambition to phase out installing new gas boilers beyond 2035 | An ambition only; no regulation made |
| Net zero announcement (20 September 2023) | Oil and LPG off grid phase out moved from 2026 to 2035; an exemption from the 2035 phase out expected to cover about a fifth of homes | Announced by the previous government; not law |
| Off gas grid consultation (October 2021) | Closed 12 January 2022; GOV.UK still shows no published outcome | Nothing yet for oil or LPG rentals |
| Warm Homes Plan (21 January 2026, updated 18 March 2026) | Grants, loans and the Boiler Upgrade Scheme; no gas boiler phase out date | Incentives, not a ban |
| Planned EPC C for private rentals | Government response 21 January 2026; regulations not yet laid | The real pressure on a landlord’s heating choice |
New builds: the Future Homes Standard
The Future Homes and Buildings Standards consultation response was published in March 2026, alongside regulations laid in Parliament that amend the Building Regulations 2010 in England. The response says the regulations and new guidance come into force on 24 March 2027, subject to transitional provisions. It says new homes will be built with low carbon heating, high levels of energy efficiency and, in most cases, solar panels.
The government’s June 2026 heat and buildings factsheet is blunter: under the standard, “gas boilers will not meet the required performance standard”.
The transition matters if you buy new build homes to let. To be built to the previous rules, plans must be submitted before 24 March 2027 and construction must start by 24 March 2028. Some homes completed after 2027 could therefore still have gas boilers. Taller higher risk buildings follow a later date, 24 September 2027.
Two points for landlords buying new:
- Most new build properties are excluded from the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, so a later switch from gas may not attract the £7,500 grant.
- Ask the developer which version of the rules the home was built to.
The Future Homes Standard covers England. Wales and Scotland set their own building rules, which this page does not cover.
Existing homes: no ban, and where the 2035 date came from
In October 2021 the Heat and Buildings Strategy said the government’s ambition was to phase out the installation of natural gas boilers beyond 2035, and that no one would be forced to remove an existing boiler. On 20 September 2023 the then Prime Minister announced an exemption from that phase out for households that would most struggle to switch, expected to cover about a fifth of homes, and moved the off grid oil and LPG phase out from 2026 to 2035.
None of that became a regulation. The consultation on ending fossil fuel heating in homes off the gas grid closed in January 2022, and GOV.UK still lists it as analysing feedback. The Warm Homes Plan, published on 21 January 2026, focuses on grants, loans and the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, and sets no date for ending gas boiler installs.
So the accurate statement is: no ban is in force or formally set for existing homes. Policy could change, and any future date should be checked against GOV.UK, not a headline.
What it means for a landlord replacing a boiler now
Replacing a gas boiler with a new one is legal today. The question is whether it is the right call for a property you will let through 2030. Three things to weigh:
- The planned EPC C rule. The government response of 21 January 2026 sets EPC C by 1 October 2030 for privately rented homes in England and Wales, with a fabric standard first and then a choice of heating system or smart readiness standard. A planned cost cap of £10,000 per property would apply, with spend from 1 October 2025 counting. The regulations are not yet laid. A new boiler fitted now does not settle the question; see EPC C 2030 and your heating choice.
- The running cost. At the Ofgem cap for 1 October to 31 December 2026, gas is 7.97p per kWh and electricity 26.32p. A heat pump has to reach a seasonal efficiency of about 2.97 to match a 90% efficient boiler. Against mains gas, the tenant’s bill may barely change. See COP and SCOP explained.
- The grant and the tax. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme pays £7,500 towards an air or ground source heat pump, and landlords can apply through an MCS certified installer. Hybrids are not funded. Installing a heat pump in a home is zero rated for VAT until 31 March 2027, then 5% from 1 April 2027 (VAT Notice 708/6).
Like for like boiler or heat pump
| Situation | A sensible route |
|---|---|
| Boiler has failed, tenant without heat | Restore heating first; a like for like boiler is legitimate |
| Boiler is old but working, property near EPC C | Plan the fabric work and get a heat pump design before the boiler fails |
| Home heated by oil or LPG, no mains gas | A heat pump may get £9,000 from 21 July 2026 to 31 March 2027; see replacing oil or LPG heating |
| Leaky solid wall house | Fabric first; a heat pump would be large and costly to run |
| Flat with no outdoor space or cylinder room | A boiler may be the only practical option for now |
If you keep gas, the landlord gas safety duty continues: each gas appliance and flue checked at least every 12 months, and a copy of the record to existing tenants within 28 days. HSE says a gas safety record is only valid if the engineer is registered with Gas Safe Register. See the gas safety certificate page.
When a heat pump is NOT the answer yet
A failed boiler in winter is not the moment to start a heat pump project. Neither is a home with no heat loss calculation, damp problems or no space for the unit. In those cases a new gas boiler is a reasonable decision, and nothing in current law penalises it. Use the time it buys to plan the fabric work.
Next step
Compare the options for your property in the heat pump landlord calculator. If you want quotes, send an enquiry through the quote page and relevant independent firms contact you, with no charge to you and no obligation.
Policy position checked on GOV.UK on 8 October 2026. This is general information, not legal or financial advice.
Questions on this topic
Is there a gas boiler ban in 2035?
Not in law. A 2021 government strategy set an ambition to phase out installing new gas boilers beyond 2035, and in September 2023 the then government announced an exemption expected to cover about a fifth of homes. No regulation making this a ban has been made, and the January 2026 Warm Homes Plan sets no such date.
Can a landlord still fit a new gas boiler in a rental?
Yes. Nothing in force stops it. The boiler must be fitted and checked by a Gas Safe registered engineer, and the annual landlord gas safety check applies as before. Weigh the planned EPC C rule for 2030 before choosing like for like.
Will new build homes have gas boilers?
In England, homes built to the Future Homes Standard will not. It comes into force on 24 March 2027, with a 12 month transition: work submitted before that date and started by 24 March 2028 can still be built to the previous rules.
Do I have to remove a working gas boiler?
No. No current rule requires a landlord to remove a working gas boiler. The pressure comes indirectly, through the planned EPC C standard for privately rented homes by 1 October 2030.
Sources
- DESNZ/MHCLG, Improving the energy performance of privately rented homes: 2025 update - government response (published 21 January 2026) (read 8 October 2026)
- GOV.UK, Apply for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme: check if you are eligible (read 8 October 2026)
- GOV.UK, Apply for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme: what you can get (read 8 October 2026)
- Ofgem, Energy price cap unit rates and standing charges (1 October to 31 December 2026) (read 8 October 2026)
- HMRC, VAT Notice 708/6: energy-saving materials and heating equipment (read 7 October 2026)
- DESNZ, Carbon Budget and Growth Delivery Plan factsheet: heat and buildings (23 June 2026) (read 8 October 2026)
- MHCLG, Future Homes and Buildings Standards: consultation response (March 2026) (read 8 October 2026)
- Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998, regulation 36 (read 8 October 2026)
- BEIS, Heat and Buildings Strategy (October 2021) (read 8 October 2026)
- BEIS, Phasing out fossil fuel heating in homes off the gas grid (consultation) (read 8 October 2026)
- Prime Minister's Office, PM recommits UK to Net Zero by 2050 (20 September 2023) (read 8 October 2026)
- DESNZ, Warm Homes Plan (January 2026, updated March 2026) (read 8 October 2026)