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If you are planning to sell or rent out your home you will need an Energy Performance Certificate. Read on to find out how much an EPC costs and how to get one.
An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) typically costs between £60 and £120. EPC certificate costs vary depending on the size of the property, the location, the type of building and the provider. It’s important to compare quotes from energy assessors to get the best deal.
You can cut your EPC certificate cost by shopping around for the best deal. Simply fill in a short form on our site to get quotes from local qualified energy assessors in a matter of minutes. You can then compare quotes and book your energy assessor for a home visit.
As well as comparing the costs quoted, also check how quickly they can fit you in.
Many people get an EPC through their estate agent as it’s a convenient option but it could end up costing you more. But if you do intend to get an EPC through your estate agent, be sure to negotiate before you appoint them. They may be able to absorb the cost if it means winning your business.
The cost of an EPC covers a survey being completed by an accredited Domestic Energy Assessor and the production of an Energy Performance Certificate for your property.
An Energy Performance Certificate, or EPC, tells you how energy efficient a property is. It includes information about how much energy a property uses. On top of that it includes recommendations about how to make the property more efficient and cheaper to run.
With an EPC, properties are ranked from A to G. A is the most energy efficient and G is the worst. Properties rated F or G are banned from being let to tenants.
A more energy efficient home means energy bills will cost less. It’s also better for the environment.
Get instant quotes and compare prices from Domestic Energy Assessors in your local area.
The benefits of getting an EPC for homeowners include:
Here are some of the common improvements you can make to increase your EPC rating:
But before paying to install any energy efficiency measures, see our guide on what energy grants are available to help cover the cost.
Yes. An EPC is a legal requirement if you are selling or letting out a property in the UK. If you do not get an EPC when selling a house or you’re a landlord renting out a property, you could be fined up to £5,000. However, there are some exemptions, read on for more on these.
If you are planning to sell your home you need to have at least applied for an EPC by the time your house goes on the market. It makes sense to get an EPC sorted out early so it doesn’t end up slowing down the sale process. You can find out more with our guide to EPCs when selling a home.
You may also find a poor EPC rating affects your home’s value and saleability if you are planning to put it on the market. It might be worth paying to improve your home’s energy efficiency if you think it is going to affect your ability to sell. Though in reality we find that if someone falls in love with your home, a lower EPC rating is unlikely to put them off.
If you’re a landlord letting out a property, keep reading for more information on funding improvements.
EPCs last 10 years.
EPCs were introduced in 2007 and are valid for ten years so you could already have one.
You can check if your property already has an EPC on the EPC register if your home is in England and Wales. For properties in Scotland check the Scottish EPC register and likewise the Northern Ireland EPC register.
However, if you have a valid EPC it may be worth getting a new one, for example if you’ve undertaken home improvements since which should have boosted your home’s EPC rating.
In terms of how to get an EPC, you need to find a domestic energy assessor to come to your home and survey it for an EPC. The survey itself takes 45 minutes to an hour to complete.
During the survey your energy assessor will:
They will then be able to give an idea of how much it will cost to heat and power your home for the EPC.
Ask for the Energy Performance Certificate to be emailed to you so you can pass it onto the estate agent marketing your property.
Get instant EPC quotes from Domestic Energy Assessors in your local area
If you’re a landlord, as well as the EPC certificate cost you may have to pay out to improve your rental property’s EPC rating.
Currently, to let out a rental property it must have an EPC rating of at least E. This applies to all existing tenancies, not just new ones or renewals. If your rental property doesn’t have a valid EPC rating of ‘E’ or above, it cannot be legally let, unless you have a valid exemption in place.
However, there is a cap on how much you need to spend. This means you will never be required to spend more than £3,500 (including VAT) on energy efficiency improvements.
Any energy efficiency improvements made to your property since 1 October 2017, can be included within the £3,500 cost cap.
Landlords whose properties don’t meet the required standards (and don’t have an exemption) face penalties of up to £4,000.
Under the Minimum Energy Performance of Buildings Bill the government had proposed increasing the minimum EPC rating to C for new tenancies from 2025 and for all rental properties by 2028, where practical, cost-effective and affordable. But in September 2023, the government said it would ‘scrap policies to force landlords to upgrade the energy efficiency of their properties’. And instead they will be encouraged to ‘do so where they can’.
As such, landlords will no longer have higher EPC targets to meet.
Some properties don’t need an EPC. Sellers or landlords will generally not need an EPC if they can demonstrate that the building is any of these:
You can find out about more exemptions on the government website
An Energy Performance Certificate – or EPC – ranks properties in terms of energy efficiency. The most energy efficient homes are rated A while the lowest are rated G.
You can reduce the cost of getting an EPC by comparing quotes from energy assessors to make sure you get the best deal.
Your EPC assessor will check: the depth of your loft insulation, the thickness of the walls and any insulation present, whether your house has single, double or triple glazing, whether your house has energy efficient lighting, solar panels or a solar water heating system. The assessor will also check the heating system you have.
You’ll need a valid EPC if you’re selling or renting out your property. An EPC must be commissioned before the property is put on the market and it must be available to be shown to prospective buyers or tenants if requested. But there are some exemptions.
An EPC is valid for 10 years.
You can arrange your EPC assessment online. Use our tool to find an EPC Assessor in your area and get instant EPC quotes today.
If you’re a landlord, any property you let out must have an EPC rating of at least E, unless you have a valid exemption in place. However, there is a cap on how much landlords need to spend. So you’ll never be required to spend more than £3,500 (including VAT) on energy efficiency improvements. Landlords whose properties don’t meet the required standards (and don’t have an exemption) face penalties of up to £4,000.
Some common improvements you can make to improve your EPC rating include installing insulation like loft insulation and cavity wall insulation, replacing single-glazed windows with double-glazing, replacing standard lightbulbs with energy-efficient ones, installing solar panels and switching to a heat pump. See our guide on what energy grants are available to help cover the cost of making energy efficiency improvements to your home.
Listed buildings may be exempt from EPC requirements. Although the government says ‘If there is any doubt as to whether works would unacceptably alter the character or appearance of a building, building owners may wish to seek the advice of their local authority’s conservation officer’.
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