Six Million UK Homeowners Don’t Know Their Property’s EPC Rating

Six Million UK Homeowners Don’t Know Their Property’s EPC Rating

As winter emerges amidst the worst energy crisis on record, we conducted some research with UK homeowners to find out how much they do, or don’t know about their property’s energy efficiency.

The research reveals two in five (43%) don’t know what their property’s EPC (energy performance certificate) rating is which equates to a massive six million homeowners across the UK. To add to this, almost one in five (18%) did not know why their property has an EPC rating* at all.

A property’s EPC rating essentially identifies how energy efficient a building is. Every time a property is built, sold or rented in England and Wales an accredited assessor must carry out an EPC rating report giving detailed information about the property’s energy efficiency and emissions.

Knowing a property’s EPC rating is crucial for homeowners when it comes to energy efficiency and keeping bills from spiralling. In terms of renting out a property, from 2025 all rentals will need an EPC rating of C or above, yet the research shows homeowners are uneducated when it comes to EPC ratings.

In fact, our new research reveals:

• More than two in five (45%) don’t know where their EPC rating certificate is.
• Almost half (47%) don’t know it can be found online.
• 55% are unclear on how much it costs to renew their property’s EPC rating.
• 17% say they don’t think EPC ratings can be improved.
• Two in three (66%) don’t think the government is doing enough to educate homeowners about EPC ratings.

When asked about buying a property in the future, homeowners said they would pay 15% more for a property which has an EPC rating of C or above, so it’s no surprise one in four (25%) homeowners are worried their EPC rating will stop them from selling their property in the future.

Even though EPC ratings have been overlooked in the past, the ongoing energy crisis is only going to reinforce the need for energy efficient homes and buildings across the country. One of the main culprits of heat loss is old draughty windows or doors. If they are not in full working order, homeowners could see up to 24% of heat energy escaping, ultimately meaning they are quite literally throwing money out of the window.

We all know energy costs are soaring, so it’s vital all homeowners do get the true benefit of the heat they are paying for, while avoiding excessive energy bills. One way of doing this is by making energy efficient home improvements. These improvements don’t just have a positive impact on energy bills, but they also help increase a property’s EPC rating which goes hand in hand with a property increasing in value and buyer appeal.