EPC for Renting a Property in London: A Landlord’s Guide
If you are preparing to rent out a house or flat in London, an EPC for renting a property should be one of the first things you check.
An Energy Performance Certificate gives a property an energy efficiency rating from A to G and provides information about its energy performance and potential improvements. In England, landlords generally need a valid EPC when renting out a property and should have one ordered before marketing the property.
For landlords, arranging the EPC early can make preparing a rental property much easier. You can also organise professional property photography and a floor plan at the same time, giving you the key materials needed for your property listing.
Do Landlords Need an EPC When Renting Out a Property?
Yes, in most cases.
GOV.UK states that you must have an EPC when renting out a property and that you must order one for potential tenants before marketing the property to rent.
The EPC gives prospective tenants information about the property’s energy efficiency, typical energy costs and recommendations for improving energy performance.
If you already own a rental property, checking the existing EPC should therefore be part of your normal property-management process.
You can use the official GOV.UK Find an Energy Certificate service to check whether a property already has a valid certificate.
How Long Does a Landlord EPC Last?
An EPC is generally valid for 10 years.
This means you do not normally need a new EPC every time a property is rented to a new tenant if the existing certificate remains valid.
However, landlords should check the certificate before advertising a property rather than assuming that an old EPC is still valid.
If the certificate has expired, or there is no EPC available for the property, you will need to arrange a new assessment.
Our EPC cost guide for London explains the factors that can affect the cost of arranging an EPC.
When Should a Landlord Arrange an EPC?
It is sensible to check your EPC before you start advertising the property.
A simple preparation process could look like this:
Check whether the property has an existing EPC.
Check the certificate’s validity.
Review the current energy rating.
Arrange a new assessment if necessary.
Prepare your property photographs.
Arrange a floor plan.
Prepare your rental listing.
Start marketing the property once the required information is ready.
Planning these steps together can help avoid last-minute delays when a property is ready to go on the rental market.
What Happens During an EPC Assessment?
An EPC assessment involves an accredited energy assessor collecting information about the property that is relevant to its energy performance.
The assessment can consider features such as:
Heating systems
Hot-water systems
Insulation
Windows
Lighting
Construction characteristics
Energy-related features of the property
The information is then used to produce the EPC and its energy-efficiency rating.
If you have never arranged an assessment before, our guide explains what an EPC assessment includes and what London property owners can expect.
What Does the EPC Rating Mean?
An EPC uses an A to G rating scale.
A – highest energy efficiency
B – high efficiency
C – moderate-to-good efficiency
D – average efficiency
E – lower efficiency
F – poor efficiency
G – lowest efficiency
The EPC also contains recommendations for improving the property’s energy performance.
It is important to distinguish the EPC rating from the property’s actual energy bills. The EPC uses standardised assumptions to assess energy performance, so a tenant’s actual energy consumption can vary.
For more information, read our guide on how to improve an EPC rating.
Should Landlords Improve the EPC Before Renting?
An EPC can include recommendations for improving energy efficiency, but landlords should consider each recommendation individually.
The potential cost, property condition and expected benefit can vary significantly between properties.
Instead of automatically carrying out every recommendation, review the EPC report and consider which improvements are practical for the property.
If you are planning upgrades before a new tenancy, it can also be useful to understand the property’s existing rating first.
The latest government guidance should always be checked for current rental-property requirements and exemptions.
Preparing a Rental Property for Marketing
An EPC is important, but it is only one part of preparing a property for rent.
A good rental listing should give prospective tenants useful information about the property before they arrange a viewing.
Three useful property-marketing elements are:
1. EPC
The EPC provides information about energy efficiency and is an important part of the property’s rental documentation.
2. Professional Property Photography
High-quality photographs help tenants understand the property’s appearance, rooms and overall condition.
Professional photography can be especially useful for landlords who want to present a property clearly across property portals and letting websites.
Our professional property photography service in London can be arranged as part of preparing a property for marketing.
3. Property Floor Plan
A floor plan gives prospective tenants another way to understand the layout of the property.
This can be particularly useful for flats, apartments, houses with extensions and properties where the relationship between rooms is difficult to understand from photographs alone.
You can learn more about our professional property floor plan service for rental and sale properties.
Why Combine EPC, Photography and Floor Plans?
Landlords often need several property services before putting a rental property on the market.
Instead of arranging everything separately, you can organise your EPC, photography and floor plan together.
This can simplify communication and make it easier to prepare the complete property listing.
Our property marketing services in Croydon explain how EPC, professional photography and floor plans can be used together when preparing a property for marketing.
For landlords across London, you can also enquire about arranging an EPC, property photography and floor plan together through our property services booking page.
EPC for Landlords in London
Landlords across London may need an EPC when preparing residential properties for rent.
We provide EPC services for properties in London and areas including:
Croydon
Thornton Heath
Mitcham
Clapham
Streatham
Tooting
Sutton
Surrounding Surrey areas
For example, landlords searching for an EPC Croydon, EPC Mitcham, EPC Clapham or EPC Sutton can enquire about availability for their property.
If you are outside these areas, provide your property postcode when contacting us so we can confirm whether the service is available.
What Landlords Should Check Before Advertising
Before advertising your rental property, use this simple checklist:
EPC
Check whether the property already has an EPC.
Confirm that it is still valid.
Check the current energy rating.
Review the recommendations.
Arrange a new assessment if required.
Property Marketing
Arrange professional property photographs.
Arrange a clear floor plan.
Prepare accurate property details.
Check room descriptions and measurements.
Prepare your online property listing.
Final Checks
Make sure required property documentation is available.
Check the latest government requirements.
Make sure your letting agent has the information needed for marketing.
The official GOV.UK guidance should be your reference point for current EPC requirements.
What If You Need an EPC Quickly?
Sometimes a landlord may need to prepare a property for rent within a short timeframe.
For example, you may have a tenant leaving, a property becoming vacant or a new rental property that needs to be marketed quickly.
If your existing EPC has expired or cannot be found, arranging the assessment early can help you avoid leaving the EPC until the last minute.
If you need an EPC quickly, you can enquire about our fast and urgent EPC services in London.
When making an enquiry, provide your postcode and preferred date so availability can be checked.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need an EPC to rent out my property?
In most cases, yes. GOV.UK states that landlords need an EPC when renting out a property and should order one for potential tenants before marketing the property.
How long is a landlord EPC valid?
An EPC is generally valid for 10 years. A new certificate is not normally required for every new tenancy if the existing EPC remains valid.
Can I check my property’s EPC online?
Yes. You can search for an existing certificate using the official GOV.UK energy certificate service.
Can I rent out a property without an EPC?
There are specific circumstances and exemptions where an EPC may not be required. GOV.UK provides a list of exemptions and should be checked for the circumstances of your property.
Does an EPC show actual energy bills?
No. An EPC provides an assessment of energy efficiency and typical energy-use information. Actual energy costs can vary depending on how a property is occupied and used.
Can I arrange an EPC and property photography together?
Yes. If you are preparing a property for rental marketing, you can enquire about arranging an EPC together with professional property photography and a floor plan.
Get Your London Rental Property Ready
Preparing a rental property does not have to be complicated.
Start by checking whether your property has a valid EPC. If you need a new assessment, arrange it before your property marketing is fully underway.
You can then prepare the rest of your listing with professional photographs and a clear floor plan.
For London landlords, our services include EPC assessments, professional property photography and property floor plans.
You can book or enquire about property services and provide your property postcode and requirements.
Important: EPC rules and rental-property requirements can change. Always check the latest GOV.UK guidance for the current requirements applicable to your property.