Glossary
EPCs: the energy rating London homes and lettings need
Required on sale or rent. Triggered by new dwellings and major extensions.
Required on sale or rent. Triggered by new dwellings and major extensions.
An EPC rates a dwelling's energy efficiency from A to G and is required whenever a property is built, sold or let. It is valid for ten years. A new dwelling created by conversion needs one on completion, and a rented home in England currently needs a rating of E or better.
They use the same underlying calculation engine. A new dwelling's compliance is demonstrated through a SAP calculation, and the EPC is generated from the as-built SAP. An extension does not usually need a new EPC, because compliance is shown through elemental U-values instead.
Where a house is converted into flats, each new dwelling requires its own EPC produced from a SAP assessment, not the simplified RdSAP survey used for existing homes.
Heating system and controls carry the most weight, followed by fabric — loft and wall insulation — then glazing and lighting. On a solid-wall London terrace the practical order is loft insulation to 270 mm, draught proofing, heating controls, then internal or external wall insulation.
The rating is cost-based rather than carbon-based, which is why a heat pump does not always lift the letter grade as much as owners expect.
The Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard makes it unlawful to let a domestic property in England and Wales with an EPC below E, unless a valid exemption is registered on the PRS Exemptions Register. Listed buildings are not automatically exempt, contrary to common belief.
A worked Sutton example of energy performance certificate (epc): with 17 conservation areas — the Carshalton Village Conservation Area and the Beddington Park Conservation Area among the best known — London Borough of Sutton (Sutton Council) sees energy performance certificate (epc) constantly, and there is no borough-wide Article 4 direction, so permitted development generally survives outside conservation areas. Where energy performance certificate (epc) pushes a Sutton scheme out of permitted development, the route becomes a £548 application decided in 8 weeks rather than a £249 prior approval in 6 weeks.
| Scale | A to G |
|---|---|
| Validity | 10 years |
| Required on | Construction, sale and letting |
| Minimum for letting (England) | Band E |
| New dwelling method | SAP; RdSAP for existing homes |
| Extension | New EPC not normally required |
Not usually. Compliance is shown by U-values, and the existing certificate stands.
Not automatically. An exemption must be assessed and registered.
Ten years from the date of issue.
Pick a slot that suits you. No obligation and no sales pressure, just straight answers on your planning route.
