Do I need an EPC, and how do I find the one for my property?

When an energy performance certificate is legally required, how long one lasts, where to look up an existing one free, and what an EPC does and does not tell a buyer.

Difficulty: beginner
Time: 8 min
Read: 5 min

Short answer

You must have an EPC before marketing a property to sell or to rent, and it is valid for ten years. Look up an existing one free on the GOV.UK find an energy certificate service for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, or the Scottish EPC register for Scotland. Only an accredited assessor can produce one, after visiting the property.

The EPC is the most misread document in a property transaction. It is a modelled assessment of the building fabric and the heating system, produced by observation against a standard methodology — not a survey, not a condition report, and not a measurement of what the house actually costs to run. It assumes everything it can see is working correctly, which is precisely where buyers go wrong with it.

Step by step

Check whether you need one at all.You need a valid EPC before marketing a property for sale or for rent, and for a newly constructed building. There are exemptions, including some listed buildings where compliance would unacceptably alter the character, certain temporary and small standalone buildings, and some holiday accommodation.
Look up the existing one first.Use the GOV.UK find an energy certificate service for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, or the Scottish EPC register for Scotland. It is free, it takes a postcode, and it produces a downloadable certificate. A valid one saves you buying another.
Check the date.An EPC lasts ten years and can be reused within that period provided nothing has changed that would materially affect the rating. If the boiler, windows or insulation have changed, a new one is worth having because it will be better.
Book an accredited assessor if you need a new one.Only an accredited domestic energy assessor can produce one, following a visit. Agents usually arrange it, and you can arrange it yourself. Get quotes — prices vary more than people expect for an identical product.
Have it before marketing, not before completion.The requirement bites when the property is put on the market, and there is a penalty for marketing without one. Order it as soon as you decide to sell.
Read the recommendations page.The second half of an EPC lists suggested improvements with indicative costs and the rating they would achieve. It is a rough starting list for anyone planning work, and it is the part most people never open.
Know what it does not tell you.It is a visual assessment of the elements that determine energy performance and it assumes they are all working correctly. It does not tell you whether the boiler is failing, whether the cavity insulation has slumped, or whether the loft insulation is actually there under the boxes.
Check the minimum standard if you are letting.There is a minimum energy efficiency standard below which a property generally cannot lawfully be let in England and Wales without a registered exemption, and the standard is due to tighten. Check the current requirement before letting.
Scotland: display it in the property if you let.In Scotland the EPC must be displayed somewhere in the property — the meter cupboard or by the boiler is the usual place. In Scotland the EPC also forms the energy report inside the Home Report.
Query an obviously wrong rating.Assessors record what they can see and verify. Where insulation or a new boiler was not evidenced it will not be counted. Provide the paperwork and ask for a reassessment; the rating can change substantially.

Tips

Look up the EPC for any property you are thinking of viewing. It is free, public, and tells you about the heating and insulation before you spend a Saturday.
Keep insulation and boiler paperwork. It is what turns a mediocre rating into a good one at the next assessment.
Read the recommendations page. It is a free, if rough, plan for improving the building.

Common mistakes

Treating the EPC as evidence of condition — It assumes everything it assesses is working correctly. A house with a failing boiler and a good EPC is entirely possible.
Buying a new EPC without checking the register — A valid certificate may already exist and last for ten years. The lookup is free and takes a minute.

If it doesn't work

The rating is much worse than you expected

Cause: Improvements the assessor could not see or verify — Fix: Gather the evidence — insulation invoices, boiler installation certificates, window certificates — and ask for a reassessment. Undocumented improvements are simply not counted.

The property is listed and you are unsure whether you need one

Cause: The listed building exemption is conditional, not automatic — Fix: The exemption applies where compliance with minimum energy performance requirements would unacceptably alter the character or appearance. Ask the conservation officer and your conveyancer rather than assuming.

You cannot let the property because of the rating

Cause: The minimum energy efficiency standard — Fix: Check the current standard, the improvements that would reach it, and whether a registered exemption applies to your circumstances. Exemptions have to be registered, not merely assumed.

Questions people ask

Is an EPC a survey?

No, and GOV.UK is explicit that it does not indicate whether the elements it assesses are in good or bad condition — it assumes they all work correctly. A survey is a separate thing commissioned by the buyer.

Can I sell without one?

You need one before marketing, and there is a financial penalty for marketing without it. Some property types are exempt; check the exemption list rather than assuming.

Does the rating affect my mortgage?

It can affect the products available, and some lenders price differently by rating. It matters more for a property being bought to let, where the minimum standard applies.

How do I find one for a property in Scotland?

Use the Scottish EPC register, which is a separate service from the GOV.UK one. The GOV.UK service covers England, Wales and Northern Ireland.