buyer guides

Energy Performance Certificates

Energy Performance Certificates are essential for any homeowner. Read our guide to find out what they are and how they can save you money.

What is an Energy Performance Certificate?

First introduced in 2007, an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is a four-page legal document that measures the energy efficiency of a property. The certificate rates a property’s efficiency using a scale of A to G, with A being the most efficient.

An EPC is required whenever a property is built, sold or rented. Once your property has been assessed and the EPC has been obtained, it remains valid for ten years.

What does an EPC contain?

Once your property has been assessed, the EPC will provide you with energy efficiency information about your property. This information is split into four sections:

The ratings: What do they mean?

Your Energy Performance Certificate is calculated based on the government’s Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP). Your home will be given a numerical value from 1 to 100. These scores are then divided into bands and this determines the energy-efficiency of your property. The higher your energy-efficiency rating (EER), the more efficient your home is and the less it will cost you to run it.

Save money By buying new

New homes are considerably more energy-efficient than older properties. In fact, 95% of new build properties are rated between A-C for energy efficiency, with the majority of these rated A or B.

A higher EPC rating results in lower household bills and, with rising energy costs, this is an important aspect to consider when buying a new home.

Energy efficient new homes

How much money can I save With a new build?

Data from the Home Builders Federation (HBF) found that on average, the combined bills of an older property amount to £1,029 per year, but for newer properties, it’s just £474 - a saving of £555. The same research found that heating bills in new builds were 59% cheaper than older properties amounting to a saving of £395.

The savings continue across lighting and water usage. On average, owners of older properties spend £82 a year on lighting and £141 for hot water, but new build owners spend only £70 and £113 respectively.

When you buy with us, we've already considered how we could save you money long-term by incorporating a range of energy efficient features to keep the cost of bills down.

What else could you do to improve your EPC?