Every home sold or let in England and Wales needs an Energy Performance Certificate. Enter your postcode below to find your property on the official government EPC register, check its rating and download your certificate in under a minute.
Free EPC check
Check the EPC rating of any property
Search the official government EPC register and get a free report showing the rating, running costs and the improvements that would lift it.
- Official government register data
- Free, in under a minute
- Downloadable report
How to find and download your EPC
Your EPC is stored on the national Energy Performance of Buildings Register, run by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government. You can search it in three steps:
- Enter your postcode in the search box above.
- Select your address from the list of properties at that postcode.
- View or download your certificate, including your rating, estimated running costs and recommended improvements.
You can also search directly on the official GOV.UK Find an energy certificate service using a postcode, street name or certificate number.
No EPC found, or yours has expired? An EPC is valid for 10 years. If your certificate is older than that, or your property has never had one, you will need a new assessment before you can sell or let. You can find an accredited assessor on GOV.UK, or if you’re marketing your home with us, contact our team and we’ll arrange it for you.
Property in Scotland? Scottish certificates are held on the separate Scottish EPC Register.
What your EPC tells you
An EPC gives your property an energy efficiency rating from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient), along with a score from 1 to 100. It also shows:
- Estimated energy costs for heating, hot water and lighting
- Your potential rating if recommended improvements are made
- A list of recommended measures with indicative costs and typical savings
- Property details such as floor area, wall type, glazing and main heating system
What we found across South London
We analysed more than 590,000 EPCs across Lambeth, Croydon, Bromley and Sutton. A few highlights:
- D is the most common rating, covering 38.1% of homes
- Homes could save £233 a year on average by reaching their potential rating, and houses up to £364
- More than a third of properties could move up at least one band
- Fewer than half of homes in Croydon, Bromley and Sutton are currently rated C or above
Read the full findings in our analysis of 590,000 South London EPCs.
Who needs an EPC, and when?
| Situation | Is an EPC required? |
|---|---|
| Selling a home | Yes, before the property is marketed |
| Letting a home | Yes, and tenants must be given a copy |
| New build | Yes, provided by the builder on completion |
| Renting out individual rooms (HMO) | Not currently for single rooms, but this is set to change |
| Living in your home, not selling or letting | No |
Two changes are on the way. The government has confirmed plans to require a valid EPC before a property is marketed, removing the current 28-day grace period, and to require an EPC for the whole building when rooms in an HMO are let individually. Both form part of the wider EPC reform described below and are subject to Parliamentary approval.
EPC changes in 2026 and beyond: what’s new
EPC rules are going through their biggest overhaul since certificates were introduced in 2007. Here is where things stand today.
Free EPC check
Check the EPC rating of any property
Search the official government EPC register and get a free report showing the rating, running costs and the improvements that would lift it.
- Official government register data
- Free, in under a minute
- Downloadable report
EPC C for rented homes by 1 October 2030
Since April 2020, privately rented homes in England and Wales have needed a minimum rating of E, unless a valid exemption is registered. That is the rule in force today, as set out in the government’s minimum energy efficiency standard guidance for landlords.
In January 2026, as part of the Warm Homes Plan, the government confirmed it will raise the minimum to the equivalent of EPC C. Its response to the private rented sector consultation set out the key decisions:
- One deadline for everyone: new and existing tenancies must comply by 1 October 2030
- A higher cost cap: landlords will be expected to spend up to £10,000 per property, up from £3,500 today, with exemptions valid for 10 years
- A new way of measuring compliance: a primary standard based on the building’s fabric (insulation, windows, airtightness), plus either a heating system standard or a smart readiness standard, at the landlord’s choice
The government intends to bring the new regulations into force in 2027, and enforcement penalties are expected to increase significantly from today’s maximum of £5,000 per property.
A new four-metric EPC
The single A to G score is being replaced. New-style EPCs will show four headline metrics:
- Fabric performance: how well the building keeps heat in
- Heating system: how efficient and low-carbon the heating is
- Smart readiness: whether the home can use smart and flexible energy tech
- Energy cost: the estimated cost of running the home
Ratings will be calculated with a new methodology, the Home Energy Model, which replaces the current SAP and RdSAP calculations. This means a property’s rating could change under the new system even if nothing about the property has changed.
Why the reform was delayed to 2027
New-style EPCs were due to launch in October 2026. In March 2026 the government updated its EPC reform consultation to move the launch to the second half of 2027, following feedback from industry on assessor training, software and supply chain readiness. Until then, all EPCs continue to be issued under the current system.
Importantly, the 2030 deadline for landlords has not moved.
Free EPC check
Check the EPC rating of any property
Search the official government EPC register and get a free report showing the rating, running costs and the improvements that would lift it.
- Official government register data
- Free, in under a minute
- Downloadable report
The “C before 2029” rule
This is the detail most landlords miss. Rented homes that achieve EPC C or above under the current rating on a certificate issued before 1 October 2029 will be treated as compliant with the new standard until that EPC expires or is replaced. As EPCs remain valid for 10 years, a C secured now could cover a property well beyond 2030.
Key dates at a glance
| Date | What happens |
|---|---|
| April 2020 | EPC E minimum applies to all private tenancies |
| January 2026 | Government confirms EPC C by 2030 and the four-metric EPC |
| March 2026 | Launch of new-style EPCs moved to the second half of 2027 |
| 2027 | New regulations expected to come into force |
| Second half of 2027 | New four-metric EPCs start being issued |
| 1 October 2029 | Cut-off for an existing-style C to count as compliant |
| 1 October 2030 | All private tenancies must meet the new EPC C standard |
What this means for you
If you’re a landlord
Check your current rating using the search above. If your property is rated D or below, now is the time to plan. Improving to C and getting a fresh certificate before October 2029 gives you certainty under the current, familiar methodology. Keep records of any energy efficiency works, as qualifying spend is expected to count towards the new cost cap.
Our Let & Manage service takes care of compliance for you, from EPCs and gas safety to deposit protection and inspections. See our full fees and services or get a free instant rental valuation to see what your property could achieve.
If you’re selling
A valid EPC is required before your home goes on the market, and a better rating can make your listing more attractive to buyers watching their running costs. Check your certificate before you list, and book a free sales valuation with our local team.
If you’re buying or renting
Use the EPC register to compare running costs between properties before you view. A C-rated home will typically be cheaper to heat than an E-rated one of the same size. Browse our properties for sale and homes to rent, or explore our area guides for Croydon and Upper Norwood.
How to improve your EPC rating
Your EPC lists the improvements most likely to raise your rating. The most common ones are:
- Loft insulation: one of the cheapest and most effective upgrades
- Cavity or solid wall insulation: major impact on fabric performance, which will matter even more under the new EPC
- Double or triple glazing: in our South London data, triple-glazed homes scored 27% higher than single-glazed ones
- Heating controls and an efficient boiler: thermostatic radiator valves, smart thermostats and a modern condensing boiler
- Low energy lighting and draught proofing: small costs, quick wins
- Heat pumps and solar panels: larger investments that will score well under the heating system metric
Tip: EPC assessors are busiest in spring and quietest in December, so booking in winter usually means faster appointments.
Frequently asked questions
Yes. Searching the official register and downloading an existing certificate is completely free and doesn’t require an account. You only pay when you commission a new EPC assessment.
10 years from the date it was issued. The government considered shortening this to five years but decided to keep the 10-year validity.
Yes, for now. E is the legal minimum today. From 1 October 2030, all private tenancies will need to meet the new EPC C standard unless an exemption applies.
Yes. Existing certificates stay valid until they expire. New-style EPCs will only be issued for new assessments once the reform launches, expected in the second half of 2027.
Your local council can issue a compliance notice and a financial penalty. Under current rules the maximum is £5,000 per property, and penalties are expected to rise under the new regime.
Yes. The register is public, so you can check the rating of any property in England, Wales or Northern Ireland, which is useful when comparing homes to buy or rent.
Our local teams cover Croydon, South Norwood, Streatham, Norbury and Tulse Hill.
