All homes for sale or rent in England must have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). These show how energy efficient a property is, typical energy costs, and improvements which could be made to make the property cheaper to heat.
An EPC gives a property an energy efficiency rating from A (best) to G (worst) and is valid for 10 years.
The EPC lets you compare the energy efficiency of different properties easily.
Find more information about EPCs on the government's website.
Check an energy certificate
It’s free to check if a property has a valid EPC.
Improving a property's EPC rating
Regulations known as the Domestic Energy Efficiency Standard Regulations (or MEES Regs) prohibit landlords from letting or continuing to let domestic properties if the EPC rating is F or G (unless an exemption applies).
The government provides guidance for landlords on improving a property's EPC rating.
The council can check the register of exemptions, and if necessary can serve the landlord with a compliance notice and issue a financial penalty for non-compliance with the MEES Regs - see our Corporate Enforcement Policy.