Energy Performance Certificate

An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rates a property's energy efficiency from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient) and is valid for 10 years. Private landlords in England must have a valid EPC with a minimum rating of E before letting; letting a property with an F or G rating (without an approved exemption) is unlawful and can attract a civil penalty of up to £30,000. Exemptions can be registered on the PRS Exemptions Register if the required improvements would cost more than £3,500 or are not technically feasible or permitted. The Government has proposed raising the minimum standard to C for new tenancies by 2028 and all tenancies by 2030, though this is not yet law. EPCs must be provided free of charge to prospective tenants before they view the property, and to new tenants at the start of the tenancy.

What it means in practice. An EPC is produced by an accredited domestic energy assessor after a survey, and every certificate is published on the national register, so you can look up any address for free before you rent or buy. The certificate shows two things: the current rating and the potential rating if the recommended improvements were carried out. For a tenant, the rating is a rough proxy for running costs — the gap between a band C and a band F home can be hundreds of pounds a year on heating alone.

A worked example. Fatima is shown a two-bedroom flat and asks for the EPC before signing. The agent produces a certificate rated F. Because letting an F-rated property without a registered exemption is unlawful, she asks whether an exemption is recorded on the PRS Exemptions Register. There is none. She reports the position to the council's private sector housing team, which can issue a penalty, and she decides not to take the flat — avoiding both a cold home and a landlord who is not meeting basic duties.

Common pitfalls. People assume an EPC is just paperwork for the sale. It is a live legal requirement throughout a tenancy, and a landlord cannot let an F or G rated home without registering a valid exemption first. A second error is relying on an old certificate: EPCs last ten years, and one produced before major works will not reflect the current property. A third is confusing the EPC with a gas safety certificate or an electrical installation condition report — three separate documents, each with its own duty.

How it relates to other terms. Providing the EPC was one of the prerequisites for a valid Section 21 notice before that route was abolished on 1 May 2026, but the minimum energy efficiency standard itself is unaffected and continues to apply to all lettings. It sits alongside the other pre-tenancy duties described under assured shorthold tenancy, and poor thermal performance can also be a hazard under the HHSRS and a breach of fitness for human habitation.

What to do next. Read our guide to energy performance certificates to check what your landlord must provide and by when, and tenancy agreements for the other documents due at the start of a let. If your home is expensive to heat, see what help is available through energy efficiency grants.