Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs)

Energy Performance Certificates – what they are

Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) give information on how to make your home more energy efficient and reduce carbon dioxide emissions. All homes bought, sold or rented require an EPC.

Example of an energy efficiency rating graph for homes

Energy Performance Certificates – what they tell you

• information on your home's energy use and carbon dioxide emissions
• a recommendation report with suggestions to reduce energy use and carbon dioxide emissions

How to get an EPC

You should receive an EPC when you are thinking about buying or renting a home. You’ll need to provide one if you are selling or letting your home. When you instruct us to sell your property we can immediately arrange for an EPC to be produced.

Which buildings need an EPC?

An EPC is required when a building is constructed, rented or sold. A building will need an EPC if it has a roof and walls and uses energy to ‘condition an indoor climate’. This means it has heating, air conditioning or mechanical ventilation. For example, a garden shed would not need an EPC if it doesn’t have any heating.

The building can either be a whole building or part of a building that has been designed or altered to be used separately. If a building is made up of separate units, each with its own heating system, each unit will need an EPC.

Which buildings don’t need an EPC?

The following buildings don’t need an EPC when they are built, rented or sold:

• places of worship
• temporary buildings that will be used for less than two years
• standalone buildings with total useful floor area of less than 50 square metres that aren’t used to
• provide living accommodation for a single household
industrial sites, workshops and non-residential agricultural buildings that don't use a lot of energy

Where can I get more information on EPCs?