How to Improve Your Home’s EPC Rating
An energy performance certificate (EPC) tells you how energy efficient your property is. From lowering your energy bills to reducing carbon emissions, being aware of your EPC rating is important. Whether you’re a landlord, tenant, homeowner or buyer, here we explain more about what an EPC is. We also discuss how to improve your home’s EPC rating and some of the benefits of having a better EPC rating.
Let’s take a look at ways to improve your EPC rating.
What is an EPC rating?
You’ve likely seen an EPC rating before, but in case you haven’t, these appear as two charts. One is the energy efficiency rating with coloured bars. The other is the energy impact rating with blue and grey bars. An EPC is ranked by letters, graded from A to G, with A being the best rating and G being the worst.
Your property will be given two ratings. The current rating explains how your home performs now. The potential rating details how your property would be graded if you made some attainable improvements.
An EPC also gives a numbered rating between 1 – 100. This score is in relation to the government’s Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP). Your numbered rating determines which lettered band your property falls into.
The bands and scores are:
| EPC rating | SAP points |
|---|---|
| A | 92 – 100 |
| B | 81 – 91 |
| C | 69 – 80 |
| D | 55 – 69 |
| E | 39 – 54 |
| F | 21 – 38 |
| G | 1 – 20 |
An EPC is valid for 10 years from the date of assessment. If your certificate is close to expiring, or you’ve made significant improvements to your property since it was last assessed, it’s worth arranging a new one so the rating reflects your home’s current performance.
Minimum EPC requirements when renting
If you’re renting your home, it’s worth knowing that your landlord has minimum EPC standards to meet, not just you as the occupier.
Right now, a rental property must have an EPC rating of at least E to be let out legally, unless the landlord has a valid exemption in place. This applies to all tenancies, not just new ones.
The government has announced plans to raise this minimum to a C rating by October 2030 for privately rented homes in England and Wales, following a consultation that ran through 2025. If these proposals go ahead as planned, it could mean a significant number of rental properties needing upgrades over the next few years, so it’s a good thing to be aware of whether you’re renting or a landlord.
How to improve your EPC rating
Improving your property’s EPC is a win-win. Not only will it benefit you with lower energy bills, but you’ll also be reducing your carbon emissions. The impact on the environment will be less. You’ll also notice that your home stays warmer for longer. It requires less energy to heat up and you might even see an increase in value.
The key to improving your EPC rating is to focus on energy efficiency. To enhance your property’s energy performance rating, you might consider various strategies. These include:
Double glazing
Windows are a common source of heat loss for a property. This is especially true if your property hasn’t yet upgraded to double glazing. Even if you have double glazing that was added some time ago, you may wish to upgrade. More modern versions are more energy efficient.
Seek out draughts
It’s common for homes to have draughts. This is an unwanted gap that can lead to heat loss and a cold breeze through your property. Seek out any draughts and fix these where possible. You can find products specifically for this purpose in most DIY shops. Be careful not to block up any intentional ventilation points, though. Houses still need ventilation and extractor fans and vents are common in each house for this purpose.
Loft insulation
Lofts are one of the most common causes of heat loss in a house. Adding loft insulation can be a cheap and easy way to improve the energy efficiency of your property. Thus, enhancing your EPC rating. It’s surprising how much you can save on your energy bills by doing this.
Consider replacing your boiler
If your boiler is on the older side, it might be inefficient and costing you money. Think about replacing it with a newer, more energy-efficient model to improve your home’s EPC rating.
You may also want to look into the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS), which offers government grants toward low carbon heating systems such as heat pumps. This can make replacing an old, inefficient boiler more affordable while also improving your EPC rating.
Think about installing a smart meter
Smart meters can be a great way of seeing how much energy you’re using on a daily basis. Installing one could be part of your strategy for improving the EPC rating. This can help your family take a proactive step to use less energy. You can make small changes every day and see the benefit.
Consider solar panels
Installing solar panels is one of the more significant ways to improve your EPC rating, as it reduces reliance on grid electricity and can improve your home’s energy impact score. It’s a bigger investment than most items on this list, but one worth considering if you’re looking to make a longer-term improvement to your property’s efficiency.
How to get a new EPC rating once you’ve made improvements
Once you’ve made the necessary improvements to make your property more energy efficient and reduce carbon emissions, you’re going to want to get a new energy performance certificate.
You can do this by arranging for a new energy assessment. Getting a new EPC rating is straightforward. If you’re looking to do so, it’s best to find an assessor through the government’s online portal here.
Your estate agent may offer to arrange an energy assessment for you if you’re selling your home. However, this might be a more expensive option, so be sure to do your homework.
Your property’s energy performance certificate is publicly available via the government’s online portal. However, you’ll also likely get a digital and paper copy of this too once the energy assessment has been carried out.
You can expect to pay between £35 – £120 for a new EPC. However, this price varies based upon the size and type of property you have. The cost of getting an EPC will vary from assessor to assessor too, so be sure to do some research. Don’t just go for the first assessor you find.
Last Updated: August 27th, 2026
