EPC

An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is a legal document that rates how energy-efficient a home is on a scale from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient). It includes an overall rating, an estimate of running costs, and recommendations for improving efficiency, such as better insulation or more efficient heating.

In most cases a landlord in England and Wales must have a valid EPC before marketing a property and must give a copy to the tenant free of charge, usually at the start of the tenancy. An EPC is normally valid for 10 years.

Minimum energy efficiency rules (MEES) currently mean most privately rented homes must have an EPC rating of at least E, unless an exemption applies. There have been proposals to tighten this standard further as part of the wider renters’ reform and net-zero agenda, but timetables and details have shifted, so renters should check the latest guidance when viewing a property.

An EPC does not itself guarantee that a property is in good repair or “warm enough”, but it is one piece of evidence. A poor EPC may support complaints about cold, damp or high energy costs and can be relevant in negotiations over improvements.