EPC rules, made simple.

An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rates your home from A (best) to G (worst). Here is when you need one, the rules for rented homes, and how new windows, doors and roofs fit in.

When you need an EPC

• You must have an EPC when you sell, rent out or build a property.
• You must order it before you market the home to buyers or tenants.
• An EPC is valid for 10 years.
• You can be fined if you do not get an EPC when you need one.

You can look up the EPC for any home on the official register. Our free energy check does this for you from your postcode.

Rules for landlords

In England and Wales, a privately rented home must currently have an EPC rating of E or above to be let, unless the landlord has registered a valid exemption. This comes from the Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property) (England and Wales) Regulations 2015.

On 21 January 2026 the government published its plan to raise the standard. It says private rented homes in England and Wales should reach EPC C by 1 October 2030, with a cap on what a landlord must spend per property. This still needs new law to be passed, so the details can change. Always check the latest guidance on GOV.UK.

Building regulations for new windows and doors

Replacement windows and external doors must meet the Building Regulations, including the rules on saving heat and power (Part L). You do not need to apply yourself if your installer is registered with a competent person scheme. They can self-certify the work, and you should receive a certificate. AWR is CERTASS approved.

Changing a conservatory's glass roof to a solid roof usually needs building regulations approval too. We explain what applies at your survey.

Can a better rating add value to your home?

A study for the government in 2013 looked at house sales in England. Compared with homes rated G, it found that homes rated D sold for about 8% more, homes rated C for about 10% more, and homes rated A or B for about 14% more (measured per square metre). The effect was bigger in regions where house prices are lower.

These are averages from past sales, not a promise about your home. Source: An investigation of the effect of EPC ratings on house prices (2013), GOV.UK.

Landlords

Letting a home? Use our landlord EPC checker to see the rules for your rating and what you need to do.

Our scrappage scheme

We buy back your old windows and doors, recycle them at our own recycling centre at our Doncaster factory, and take money off your new ones. The more windows and doors you trade in, the bigger the discount. It is not linked to your EPC rating.

Your surveyor counts the windows and doors you are replacing and confirms the exact discount in your written quote on the day.

How AWR can help your rating

How much your rating changes depends on your whole home, so we never promise a set number of points. After the work, a new EPC assessment is the only way to know your new rating.

This page is a plain-English summary, not legal advice. It was checked against the official sources below on 3 November 2026.

Official sources

• GOV.UK: Energy Performance Certificates when selling a home
• GOV.UK: Find an energy certificate
• GOV.UK: Domestic private rented property minimum energy efficiency standard (landlord guidance)
• The Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property) (England and Wales) Regulations 2015
• GOV.UK: Improving the energy performance of privately rented homes, government response (21 January 2026)
• GOV.UK: Building regulations, competent person schemes