EPC for flats

What gives a flat a certificate of its own

A single unit made or adapted to be used separately can also be covered by an EPC (Energy Performance Certificate), as can an entire building. The usual case is a self-contained flat.

One sign that a unit is separate is having its own entrance. Heating that people inside can set themselves also counts, even if other flats share the system.

Renting out one room works differently. As the rules stand, an EPC of its own is not needed for a room. Sell or let the building, though, and the whole place needs one.

What is a typical flat EPC rating?

Flats usually come out with strong scores. Flats and maisonettes had a median of 74, the Office for National Statistics found. In England and Wales, that score beat all other home types.

On a scale of 1 to 100, band C covers 69 to 80, and that is where the middle flat lands. Each band appears on EPC rating bands.

How an EPC for flats is worked out

The assessor notes the kind of property, be it a flat, house or bungalow, plus how old it is. These other details also matter:

• insulation in the walls, plus the roof and its insulation
• how big the flat is and its number of floors
• how much glazing there is and what kind
• which heating system is fitted and the fuel it runs on

Why floor area does not bring the score down

Floor area is taken into account in the score. A small flat, then, loses no points for its size alone.

Standard use is assumed as well. How many people live there, or how warm you keep the place, makes no difference to the result. So flats can be compared fairly by buyers and tenants.

Preparing your flat for the visit

If access is safe, the assessor must reach every room, the boiler and the loft. Anything beyond their reach gets assumed from how old the building is.

Get your papers together first, like double glazing receipts or the boiler manual. If you don't have proof, some hidden features can't be counted. When you're ready, you can book an EPC.

Flat EPC prices

Flats usually fall near the bottom of the typical £65 to £120 range, since smaller homes take less time.

An October 2026 spot check by HomeOwners Alliance turned up quotes of £49 to £84 on a 1-bed flat in Middlesbrough. Quotes for a 2-bed flat in Cambridge came in at £80 to £90. You will find more prices on EPC cost.

Letting out a flat: the rating you must meet

Unless a valid exemption has been registered, most privately rented homes in England and Wales must reach a rating of E or above. Getting there does not require you to spend over £3,500, including VAT.

Consent from another person, the freeholder for example, is needed for some work in a flat. A third-party consent exemption may be something you can register if they say no. For the other exemptions, see exemptions.

By 1 October 2030 a higher standard comes into effect, and the cap on spending is £10,000 per property. Use the landlord 2030 check to see where your flat stands.

Shared-house rooms once reform arrives

A change is coming for HMOs (houses in multiple occupation) under government plans. After that, an EPC covering the whole house would be needed to let one room. Each room would not be covered separately. The whole HMO would be on one certificate.