Landlords & Property · 10 min read · Beginner

How to Improve an EPC Rating: A Practical Property Checklist

Use the property’s actual EPC recommendations, fabric and services to prioritise improvements without promising that one measure will guarantee a particular EPC band.

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Key points & steps

  1. Find the current EPC and read the recommendation report rather than relying only on the headline A–G band. EPC recommendations are specific to the recorded property characteristics.
  2. Check that the assessment evidence is accurate: insulation, glazing, heating controls, boiler/cylinder details and extensions can all affect the recorded model.
  3. Prioritise straightforward fabric and control measures that are genuinely applicable, such as loft insulation, draught reduction, low-energy fixed lighting and heating controls.
  4. Review wall and floor insulation opportunities in the context of moisture, ventilation, disruption and the actual construction rather than assuming every wall can be treated the same way.
  5. Assess windows and doors for single glazing, failed units, poor seals and replacement/secondary-glazing opportunities where appropriate.
  6. Review the main heating and hot-water system, including boiler efficiency, controls and whether a low-carbon heating option is viable as part of a wider refurbishment.
  7. Consider solar PV or other renewable measures after understanding the roof/site and the property’s electricity use.
  8. Keep invoices, product specifications, certificates and photographs that may help demonstrate completed improvements at a future assessment.
  9. Commission an accredited assessor when an updated official rating is required; Get Your Project Right can help plan measures but cannot calculate or guarantee an official EPC score.

Practical tips

  • EPC ratings use standardised assumptions and are not simply a direct reading of the household’s actual energy bills.
  • Recommendation order can be cumulative, so the predicted rating after one item may assume earlier measures have also been completed.
  • Landlord energy-efficiency rules are time-sensitive and differ across UK nations; always check current official guidance before treating an EPC project as a compliance plan.

What you may need

  • Current EPC
  • Property construction/age information
  • Heating and glazing details
  • Insulation evidence
  • Quotes/specifications for proposed works

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