An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rates how energy efficient a home is, from A to G, and lists ways to improve it. You need a valid EPC before you market a home for sale or rent, and landlords must meet a minimum rating.
Based in Warrington, Cheshire · Covers Warrington and WA postcodes for EPCs; calculation work across England and WalesAccreditation stated by provider: RICS, Elmhurst Energy, CHAS
Based in Brighton, East Sussex · Covers Nationwide, with local landing pages for many UK towns including Leicester, Nuneaton and CoventryAccreditation not yet checked
Based in Manchester, Greater Manchester · Covers Manchester, the North West and nationwideAccreditation stated by provider: CIBSE, BPEC, iATS, SITMA, BREEAM, AECB, Constructionline
Based in Rochdale, Greater Manchester · Covers Greater Manchester and East Lancashire locally; SAP work nationwideAccreditation stated by provider: Elmhurst Energy, Stroma, ABBE, BRE, TrustMark
Based in Cheadle, Greater Manchester · Covers EPC visits within about 50 miles of Manchester; SAP and new-build work nationwideAccreditation not yet checked
Based in Brighton, East Sussex · Covers Nationwide, with local landing pages for many UK towns including Coventry, Nuneaton and DurhamAccreditation not yet checked
Based in Preston, Lancashire · Covers Preston, Chorley, Leyland, Southport, Blackburn, Burnley, Clitheroe; Lancaster, Morecambe and Kendal with possible travel chargeAccreditation stated by provider: Elmhurst Energy
Based in West Cornwall · Covers Mid and West CornwallAccreditation stated by provider: Level 3 Domestic Energy Assessor, Level 4 Non-Domestic Energy Assessor
Based in Coventry, West Midlands · Covers Coventry, Warwickshire, Nuneaton, Rugby, Solihull, Kenilworth and Leamington SpaAccreditation not yet checked
Based in Birkenhead, Merseyside · Coverage not stated, so check with the providerAccreditation stated by provider: PAS 2035, accredited Domestic Energy Assessors
Based in Newhaven, East Sussex · Covers Brighton, Eastbourne, Worthing and surrounding SussexAccreditation stated by provider: Elmhurst Energy, TrustMark
Based in London · Covers All of London, other areas on requestAccreditation stated by provider: Elmhurst, ECMK, Level 3 Retrofit Assessor, Level 3 Domestic Energy Assessor
Based in Kent · Covers Bromley, Dartford, Swanley, Orpington, Sevenoaks, Maidstone, Medway, Tunbridge WellsAccreditation stated by provider: Elmhurst Energy
Based in Skelmersdale, Lancashire · Covers About 25 miles around Skelmersdale: Merseyside, Lancashire, Greater Manchester and north CheshireAccreditation not yet checked
Based in Stockport, Greater Manchester · Covers Stockport, Manchester, Bolton, Bury, Salford, Trafford, Tameside, Cheshire East towns and High PeakAccreditation stated by provider: RICS
Based in Wolverhampton, West Midlands · Covers Wolverhampton through to Derby, Nottingham and LeicesterAccreditation stated by provider: Elmhurst, Quidos, ECMK
Based in South East London · Covers South East, South West and North London, Westminster and BromleyAccreditation stated by provider: Elmhurst, TrustMark
Based in Liverpool, Merseyside · Covers Liverpool and MerseysideAccreditation stated by provider: TrustMark, ECMK, Elmhurst, Gas Safe, Level 5 Retrofit Coordinator and Assessor
Based in Stretford, Greater Manchester · Covers Stretford, Sale, Chorlton, Didsbury, Urmston, Irlam, Old Trafford, Salford and WythenshaweAccreditation stated by provider: PAS 2035 Retrofit Professional, Domestic Energy Assessor, TrustMark licensed, ECMK, Energy Trust qualified
Based in Liverpool, Merseyside · Covers Merseyside, Greater Manchester, Cheshire, Lancashire and CumbriaAccreditation stated by provider: TrustMark, Elmhurst Energy, Quidos, ECMK, PAS 2035
Based in Tamworth, Staffordshire · Covers Coventry, Nuneaton, Bedworth, Walsall, Birmingham, Lutterworth and surrounding Midlands townsAccreditation not yet checked
Based in Warrington, Cheshire · Covers Domestic within about 15 miles of Warrington; commercial across the North West and Greater ManchesterAccreditation stated by provider: Elmhurst Energy, ECMK, ABBE
Based in Kent and East Sussex · Covers Ashford, Canterbury, Dover, Folkestone, Maidstone, Tonbridge, Tunbridge Wells and wider Kent/East SussexAccreditation not yet checked
Based in Bedford · Covers Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Northamptonshire, Oxfordshire, Hertfordshire and LeicestershireAccreditation stated by provider: Elmhurst Energy
Based in Exeter, East Devon · Covers Devon, Cornwall, Somerset and the South WestAccreditation stated by provider: Elmhurst Airtightness Scheme, IAA Background Ventilation, PAS 2035
Based in Guildford, Surrey · Covers Surrey, Hertfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire and West LondonAccreditation stated by provider: TrustMark, Retrofit Academy Level 5 Diploma
Based in Maryport, Cumbria · Covers West Cumbria incl. Workington, Whitehaven, Cockermouth, Keswick and Carlisle; says it covers most of England and WalesAccreditation stated by provider: Quidos
Based in Carlton, Nottingham · Covers Nottingham, Mansfield, Derby, Leicester and the East MidlandsAccreditation stated by provider: ECMK, Elmhurst, TrustMark
Selling. You must have ordered an EPC before the home goes on the market. If it isn’t ready, the rules allow 7 days from first marketing, with a further 21 days if you’ve made every reasonable effort.
Renting. Landlords must give tenants a copy of a valid EPC at the start of a tenancy.
It lasts 10 years. You can reuse a valid EPC, and you can check whether your home already has one on the government’s Find an energy certificate service.
Penalties. Trading standards can issue a £200 fine for each home marketed without an EPC.
What happens on the visit
The assessor measures the home and records how it is built and heated: walls, roof, floors and insulation, windows, the boiler and its controls, hot water, lighting, ventilation and any solar panels. A visit usually takes 45 minutes to an hour, longer for bigger homes.
Since June 2025, assessors have used a more detailed method (RdSAP 10) that records more information, such as the size of every window. Have any paperwork ready for insulation, a new boiler or solar panels, because evidence can improve the rating.
Rules for landlords
Minimum rating E. In England and Wales, privately rented homes must have an EPC of at least E, unless a valid exemption is registered.
Spending cap. If a home is below E, the landlord must make improvements up to £3,500 (including VAT) before an exemption can be registered.
Rating C by 2030. The government has confirmed a plan for all privately rented homes to reach EPC C by 1 October 2030, with the spending cap rising to £10,000. It still needs new legislation, so check the latest position before you plan work.
New-style EPCs are coming. In England and Wales, reformed EPCs with separate ratings for the building fabric, heating system, smart readiness and energy cost are now expected in the second half of 2027. Existing EPCs stay valid until they expire.
In Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland
This guide describes the rules in England. Building regulations are devolved, so here is how domestic EPC works in the rest of the UK.
Wales
The rules are the same as in England, including the minimum rating of E for rented homes and the plan for rating C by 1 October 2030. Rent Smart Wales publishes guidance for Welsh landlords.
Scotland
Scotland has its own register, the Scottish EPC Register. When you sell, the EPC is part of the Home Report, and it must be displayed in the home, for example in the boiler cupboard. New-style EPCs with three ratings and a 5-year life are due from 30 April 2028. A minimum standard for rented homes has been proposed, but its timetable is still to be confirmed.
Northern Ireland
An EPC is needed when a home is sold or let, and it lasts 10 years. Northern Ireland uses the same government register as England and Wales. There is currently no minimum EPC rating for rented homes.
Common questions
How much does an EPC cost?
It depends on the size of the home and where you live. Industry guides put most homes somewhere around £60 to £120. Assessors set their own prices, so compare quotes.
How long does an EPC last?
Ten years, or until a newer EPC is produced for the same home.
Can I sell or let without an EPC?
No. You must order one before you start marketing, and you can be fined for marketing a home without one.
Should I get a new EPC after making improvements?
You don’t have to, but a new EPC will show the better rating, which can help with a sale, a letting or a green mortgage.
Is a domestic EPC the same as a new-build EPC?
No. Homes being sold or let are assessed with a survey of the existing home. Newly built homes get an on-construction EPC from the as-built SAP calculation.