Rising energy bills and a hunger for greener living mean a good EPC rating is now more important than ever. Here’s how to get one for your home.

An Energy Performance Certificate (or EPC) rating is essentially a review of a property’s ability to use energy efficiently.

All homes must have an EPC certificate when being sold or made available for rent.

The certificate is valid for 10 years.

What’s a good EPC rating?

An EPC certificate rates a property’s energy performance through a grading system of A to G, with A being the most efficient and G being the least.

A property with an EPC rating of C or above is generally thought to be pretty good. The average home in the UK has a rating of D.

New-build homes generally have higher scores, as they tend to be around 60% more energy efficient than older homes.

Buildings with higher EPC ratings are more popular with buyers and renters, especially in today’s climate of astronomically growing energy costs, as they’re cheaper to run.

From December 31, 2025, all landlords must make sure the buildings they are letting out to tenants carry an EPC rating of C or above.

You can find out the EPC rating of every property listed for sale or for rent on Zoopla on our listings pages.

Or, if you’re interested in a property that’s not currently on the market, you can find out their EPC rating through the government’s website.

How is an EPC rating decided?

An EPC rating is carried out by a government-approved energy assessor.

They look into the amount of energy a home uses per square metre and how much carbon dioxide it produces.

The average household produces 6 tonnes of CO2 annually.

The assessor conducts a measured survey of the property, examining the lighting, heating and hot water systems.

The certificate they produce then shows the current costs for running the home – and the potential costs if the assessor’s recommended energy-saving improvements are made.

It will also show the property’s overall rating from grades A to G.

What factors affect an EPC rating?

 

The assessor will look at whether the home has:

  • energy efficient bulbs
  • double glazed windows
  • an energy efficient boiler
  • thermostats for the home and individual radiators
  • log, coal or gas fires
  • loft and wall insulation
  • pipes and water tank insulation
  • renewable energy sources such as solar panels
  • air/ground source heat pumps
  • water-saving systems – such as dual-flush loos

How can I improve my EPC rating?

1. Use energy efficient light bulbs

They can cut lighting costs by up to 90%, so are well worth the investment.

2. Insulate your loft

It will help to prevent up to 25% of your heating escaping through the roof.

3. Consider cavity wall insulation

It can help to stop 35% of your heating from leaving your home and only takes a couple of hours to install.

Holes are drilled into the external walls of your property and insulation is injected into the cavity.

4. Replace your old boiler with an energy efficient new one

It could make a drastic difference to your fuel bills – and your EPC rating.

5. Invest in double or triple glazed windows

6. Seal any draughty parts of the house

Including floorboards, around windows and the front door.

7. Consider using an environmentally-friendly air/ground source heat pump

Is there financial help available to improve my EPC rating?

Yes, there is.

Energy companies will pay for insulation, glazing and even new boilers for people claiming certain benefits under the Energy Company Obligation scheme.

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme offers property owners £5,000 towards the cost of buying and installing an air source heat pump or biomass boiler.

Grants averaging £10,000 are also available to certain households to make energy efficiency improvements under the Green Homes Grant Local Authority Delivery Scheme.

Can I change my EPC rating?

If you think your EPC rating is wrong, you can contact the assessor who gave the home its rating.

Their name will be on the EPC certificate that was issued for the property.

You can ask them to reassess the property based on where you think the errors might have been made.

If you’re still concerned that an error has been made, you can appeal to the assessor’s accreditation scheme. The details for this can also be found on the EPC.

The rising cost of energy

In April this year, the energy price cap increased by 54%, meaning a typical household’s energy bills went up by around £700 a year from £1,300 to £2,000.

In October that price cap is set to rise again, taking the average household’s energy bills to just under £3,000.

After October, Ofgem is set to change the price cap every three months and bills are expected to remain high until October 2023.

Ensuring your home is as energy efficient as possible is now more important than ever, whether you’re looking sell, rent or stay put.

A few improvements now could save you hundreds of pounds in the long run.

Key takeaways

  • Energy efficient light bulbs, double glazing and a decent boiler can all improve a home’s EPC rating
  • Insulation, thermostats and dual flush loos also help
  • In October this year, the energy price cap will rise to just under £3,000. So anything you can do to improve your home’s energy efficiency now is worth doing