Do You Need an EPC to Sell a House? The Rules for Sellers in 2026

Yes. If you are selling a house or flat in England or Wales, you need an Energy Performance Certificate, and it has to be ordered before the property goes on the market, not before completion. The good news is that you may already have one: a certificate lasts ten years, whoever owned the property when it was done.

When do you need an EPC to sell a house?

Before you market it. The government's guidance for sellers is specific: the seller must commission an EPC if no valid one exists, before the property is put on the market. An estate agent has to be satisfied that one has been commissioned before they can market it for you.

The certificate itself doesn't have to be in your hand on day one. You must use all reasonable efforts to get it within 7 days of marketing starting, and a further 21 days is allowed if, having tried, you still can't. In practice it is rarely an issue: the visit takes 30 to 45 minutes and my certificates are lodged on the register within 36 hours.

What exactly does the law require?

• Commission it before marketing. No valid EPC, no listing.
• Show the rating in the adverts. The energy rating must appear in advertisements in the commercial media, which includes property portals, newspapers and the agent's own particulars. You don't have to show the whole certificate.
• Give the buyer a copy, free of charge. The duty is the seller's, even when the agent hands it over.
• Keep it valid. A certificate lasts ten years from the date it was lodged.

Who pays for the EPC when you sell?

The seller. The legal duty sits with you, so the cost does too. Some estate agents arrange the EPC as part of their service and add it to their fee; booking an accredited assessor directly is usually cheaper. My prices for a Birmingham home are £65 to £95 depending on size, and the reasons EPC prices vary so much are in my guide to how much an EPC costs in Birmingham.

Do you need a new EPC if you already have one?

Not if it's still valid. An EPC lasts ten years, or until a newer certificate is lodged for the same property, however many times the property is sold or let in between. A certificate done when you bought the house, or when a previous owner let it out, still counts if it is less than ten years old.

Check before you pay anyone. Search your postcode on the government's Find an energy certificate service. It's free and you can download any valid certificate there.

There is one reason to get a new one anyway: if you have improved the property since the last certificate. A loft topped up, cavity walls filled or a new boiler fitted won't show on an old certificate, and buyers see the old rating in every advert.

Is there a minimum EPC rating to sell a house?

No. You can sell a house rated G. The minimum rating rules apply to rented homes, which must currently be at least band E unless a valid exemption is registered. If your buyer is a landlord, though, the rating matters to them, and a low one will come up in negotiation. My guide to EPC rules for landlords explains what they are working to.

What Birmingham homes for sale are rated

The government publishes every certificate on the national register. In the twelve months to 30 September 2026, 11,239 EPCs were lodged for Birmingham homes being marketed for sale. Of those:

• 44.5% were rated C and 45.6% D, so nine in ten sit in those two bands.
• 2.9% were rated A or B.
• 7.0% were rated E, F or G.

So a D is the typical result for a Birmingham sale, not a problem, and a C puts a home in the better half of what buyers are comparing it against. If you're curious what your band means, EPC ratings explained goes through each one.

What happens if you sell without an EPC?

Trading Standards can issue a fixed penalty of £200 for each property (regulation 38 of the Energy Performance of Buildings (England and Wales) Regulations 2012), and the guidance sets a £200 penalty for leaving the rating out of an advert. The bigger practical problem comes first: a reputable estate agent won't market a property without one, and the buyer's solicitor will ask for it.

Do you need an EPC if you sell privately?

Yes. The legal duty falls on the seller, not on the estate agent, so it applies whether you list with an agent, use an online agent or sell to someone you know. The agent's duty is an extra check on top, not the source of the rule.

Which properties don't need an EPC to be sold?

The exemptions are narrow. The government's guidance lists them as:

• buildings officially protected as listed, or in a conservation area, where meeting certain energy requirements would unacceptably alter their character or appearance;
• temporary buildings with a planned use of two years or less;
• residential buildings intended to be used for less than four months a year;
• stand-alone buildings with a total useful floor area under 50 m²;
• buildings due to be demolished, where the seller can show the right consents are in place.

The listed-building exemption is the one people over-read. Being listed, or being in one of Birmingham's conservation areas such as parts of Moseley or the Jewellery Quarter, doesn't exempt a home on its own: the test is whether the improvements would unacceptably alter its character, and the owner has to judge that. If in doubt, ask your local conservation officer before you rely on it. Most sellers of ordinary houses and flats are not exempt.

How to get an EPC before you sell

1. Check the register first. If there's a valid certificate, you may not need me at all.
2. Book an accredited assessor. Only an accredited domestic energy assessor can produce and lodge an EPC.
3. The visit. 30 to 45 minutes for most homes. I need access to every room, the loft hatch, the boiler and the meters. Here is what happens during an EPC assessment.
4. The certificate. Lodged on the register, where your agent can see it, and emailed to you within 36 hours of the visit.

You can request a booking online with your preferred day and time, or ring 07365 061790. You pay on the day, with no booking fee.

Common questions

Who pays for the EPC when selling a house?

The seller. The legal duty to have an EPC sits with the seller, so the seller pays for it, whether it is booked directly with an assessor or arranged through the estate agent.

Can I put my house on the market before the EPC is done?

Only once it has been commissioned. You must have ordered it before marketing, then use all reasonable efforts to have it within 7 days, with a further 21 days allowed if that genuinely isn't possible.

Does the buyer need a new EPC after buying?

No. The certificate belongs to the property, not the owner. If the buyer later lets the property out, the same certificate can be used until it is ten years old, as long as the rating meets the letting rules.

Do I need an EPC to sell a flat?

Yes. Each flat designed for separate use needs its own certificate. The rules are the same as for a house.