--- title: EPCs When Selling or Letting a Property | Ellie Spencer Property Media url: https://elliespencer.uk.com/property/guides/epc-selling-or-letting/ description: When a home needs an Energy Performance Certificate, how long it lasts, the minimum E rating for rented homes in England and Wales, and how an EPC with Ellie Spencer works. Sourced from GOV.UK. last_updated: 2026-10-07 publisher: Ellie Spencer --- Guide # EPCs when you sell or let a property An Energy Performance Certificate is needed before a home is marketed for sale or rent. Here is what the rules say, in plain English, with links to the government guidance. By [Ellie Spencer](https://elliespencer.uk.com/about/)Updated 7 October 20262 minute read ## The short answer - You must order an EPC before you market a property to sell or rent. - An EPC is valid for 10 years and rates a property from A (best) to G (worst). - Since 1 April 2020, a landlord in England or Wales cannot let, or continue to let, a covered home rated below E without a registered exemption. - You can check whether a property already has a valid EPC, free, on the government's register. ## When you need an EPC You must have an EPC when you sell or rent out a property, and you must order it for buyers and tenants **before** you market the property. You can be fined if you do not get one when you need one. [(GOV.UK)](https://www.gov.uk/buy-sell-your-home/energy-performance-certificates) ## How long an EPC lasts An EPC is valid for 10 years. If the property already has one that is still in date, it can usually be used again. Check on the [find an energy certificate](https://www.gov.uk/find-energy-certificate) service, where certificates can be downloaded free. ## What the certificate shows - An energy efficiency rating from A (best) to G (worst) - Information about the property's energy use and typical energy costs - Recommendations for reducing energy use and saving money ## Letting: the minimum E rating The Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES) applies to domestic private rented homes in England and Wales: [(GOV.UK landlord guidance)](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/domestic-private-rented-property-minimum-energy-efficiency-standard-landlord-guidance) - From 1 April 2018, a landlord could not grant a new tenancy of a covered property rated below E. - From 1 April 2020, that extended to existing tenancies too. - If a property cannot reach E, the landlord is not currently required to spend more than £3,500 including VAT, and can register an exemption on the PRS Exemptions Register. - Renting out a non-compliant property for three months or more can bring a penalty of up to £4,000, and up to £5,000 in total per property. A landlord with an F or G rated home should look at the recommendations on the certificate first: they list the improvements most likely to lift the rating. ## How an EPC works with me I am an accredited domestic energy assessor through ECMK. I carry out the assessment on site, then lodge the certificate on the national register. Because I can photograph the property, measure the floor plan and do the EPC in the same visit, the vendor only has to let one person in once. - EPC on its own: from £80 - Included in the full package: from £250 for a one or two bedroom home So that the assessment is accurate, I need to see every room, the boiler and heating controls, the hot water cylinder if there is one, and the loft hatch. Any paperwork about insulation, windows or the boiler helps. Once lodged, an EPC is public: anyone can look it up on the register. ## Sources 1. [Energy Performance Certificates, GOV.UK](https://www.gov.uk/buy-sell-your-home/energy-performance-certificates) 2. [Find an energy certificate, GOV.UK](https://www.gov.uk/find-energy-certificate) 3. [Domestic private rented property: minimum energy efficiency standard, landlord guidance, GOV.UK](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/domestic-private-rented-property-minimum-energy-efficiency-standard-landlord-guidance) Checked 7 October 2026. Rules change: follow the links for the current position. ## Read next [Guide ### How to prepare a property for photographs A room-by-room checklist for vendors and landlords. Read](https://elliespencer.uk.com/property/guides/preparing-a-property-for-photos/)[Guide ### Property floor plans explained A floor plan shows a buyer how a home fits together before they visit. Read](https://elliespencer.uk.com/property/guides/floor-plans-explained/)[Questions ### FAQ Short answers to the questions I am asked most. Read](https://elliespencer.uk.com/property/faq/)[Glossary ### Property media terms The jargon, in plain English. Read](https://elliespencer.uk.com/property/glossary/) ## Got an instruction? Send the address and what you need. You get a confirmed slot the same day. [Book a shoot](https://elliespencer.uk.com/property/#enquire) [See rates](https://elliespencer.uk.com/property/rates/) --- ## About this business - Business: Ellie Spencer Property Media & Wedding Films, a sole trader run by Ellie Spencer - Address: Morton Spiert Farm, Abbots Morton, Worcestershire WR7 4NA - Email: ellie@elliespencer.uk.com (no phone line; enquiries by email or the website forms) - Covers: Worcestershire, Warwickshire and the Cotswolds - Wedding films: from £1,000 (8 hours), £1,250 (12 hours), £2,100 with photography - Property media: photography from £95, with floor plan from £150, full package with EPC and aerials from £250; EPC or aerials alone from £80, floor plan alone from £50 - Credentials: accredited domestic energy assessor (ECMK); CAA certified drone pilot; £5m public liability, £1m professional indemnity - ICO registration: C2004351