What your EPC rating means for you
Every rented home needs an energy certificate. Here’s how to read it, and what it means for your bills and comfort.
What an EPC is
An Energy Performance Certificate rates a home from A (very efficient) to G (very inefficient), based on things like insulation, windows, walls and the heating system. A certificate is valid for 10 years.
Your landlord must give you a copy, for free, before you rent. You can also look up any home’s certificate on GOV.UK’s “Find an energy certificate” service (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) or on the Scottish EPC Register. On Flat Reviews, we show the rating on each flat’s page where we can find it.
What the letters mean for you
| Rating | Score | What it usually means |
|---|---|---|
| A–B | 81 or more | Warm and well insulated, with low heating bills. Usually newer or fully renovated buildings. |
| C | 69–80 | Good: reasonable heating costs. |
| D | 55–68 | About average for UK homes. Bills are noticeably higher than for A–C. |
| E | 39–54 | Below average: expect higher bills and colder rooms in winter. |
| F–G | 38 or less | Poor: likely to be cold and expensive to heat, often with damp. In England and Wales, a home rated F or G normally can’t be let to a tenant unless the landlord has registered an exemption. |
The certificate also shows estimated yearly costs for heating, hot water and lighting, and a list of improvements. These are estimates for typical use: your real bills depend on how you use the heating, your energy tariff and how many people live there.
Things to know
- The rating is about the building, not the landlord. A D-rated flat with a good landlord can be fine, and an A-rated flat can still have other problems. Read the reviews too.
- An old certificate may be out of date. If the home has had new windows or a new boiler since, it may now be better than its certificate says.
- The minimum is going up. The government has confirmed that, from 1 October 2030, privately rented homes in England and Wales will need the equivalent of a C rating, up from E today.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Last checked: 28 October 2026.