Our guide explains how to sell a house with low or no Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), including the law on EPCs and what to do if you own a property that needs investment to get a high EPC rating.
With the recent hike in energy prices, keeping your home warm has never been more important at an affordable cost. Low-rated homes with an EPC rating or F, G or no rating could put off potential buyers, as these properties are unmortgageable. Landlords can’t rent a property with a low EPC, such as an E rating.
The legislation means that it has become illegal to put a house on the market without an EPC.
If you want to sell an unmodernised EPC-rated F or G house, you’ll want to read this guide before making a move and find out how we can help you.
Table of Contents
What is an energy performance certificate?
In short, an EPC is an asset rating that tells you how energy-efficient your property is and its impact on the environment.
To sell an unmodernised EPC-rated F or G house can be tough. A poor EPC rating suggests low energy efficiency, which makes the energy bills of that property a lot more expensive.
Prospective buyers are less likely to consider properties with a low EPC rating due to the cost, particularly since rising energy prices are an ever-growing issue.
How much does it cost to get an Energy Performance Certificate?
The price of an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) for a residential property ranges from £40 to £200, including VAT. The total cost is influenced by various factors, such as the property type and the number of bedrooms it has. Commercial property EPCs are much more expensive.
What does an EPC consist of?
An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is a legal document that gives an overview of a property’s energy efficiency. It is created by evaluating the building’s construction, type of dwelling, and all its energy features, such as boilers, insulation, and renewable energy sources.
Is your property legally required to have an EPC?
Since 2008, it has been a legal requirement to have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) when selling or letting out a property.
How is the EPC rating calculated?
The Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) for a building is calculated using a Standard Assessment Method (SAM). SAM takes into account the property’s build quality, size, shape, usage, heating and hot water system, type of glazing, insulation, and other factors.
If you’ve inherited a property, or you need a quick house sale and have a low EPC rating – the chances of a fast traditional sale are slim, and you’re more likely to have the house on the market for years rather than weeks.
Read on to find out what you can do if you’re stuck in this situation and how Property Saviour can help you.
What is checked for an Energy Performance Certificate?
When your energy assessor comes to visit, they’ll check out a few key things: the age, construction, and size of your property; the primary heating systems, like the boiler and heating controls, and how energy-efficient they are; and the insulation, such as whether you have cavity wall or loft insulation installed.
Is it worth getting an Energy Performance Certificate?
If you want to sell or rent your property, you need an Energy Performance Certificate. But even if you’re not planning to sell, getting an EPC is a cost-effective and fast way to evaluate your property’s energy-saving potential.
What will fail an EPC?
No, it is not possible to fail an EPC!
During an EPC assessment, a property is assigned a rating between 1-100. A rating of 1 signifies the worst energy performance, while 100 indicates a near-perfect energy-efficient property, potentially adhering to the Passivhaus standard and possibly producing its own energy.
How long is an energy performance certificate valid for?
An EPC certificate is valid for 10 years.
After this time, you’ll need to organise an EPC assessor to visit your property, which costs from £40. There’s a national register of EPCs, unless you’ve opted out, where you can look at your property’s previous certificates (as well as view similar properties in your area for a comparison of how energy efficient your home is).
Do all commercial buildings require an EPC?
If you own a commercial property, you also need to have an EPC if any of the following applies to you:
- You rent out or sell your premises.
- A building under construction is completed.
- Changes are made to the parts of the building for separate occupation, involving any changes or additions to heating, air and ventilation systems.
Sell with certainty & speed
What happens if I have a low EPC rating?
Buyers and tenants won’t want to buy or rent your home because of its low EPC ratings. If you’re trying to sell an unmodernised EPC-rated F or G house, then it’s not great news.
In this situation, you’ll find it difficult to sell your property, as why would anyone want to move into a home and pay high energy bills?
Homes with poor energy performance could even be banned from the sales market, with owners having to upgrade them before being allowed to sell them.
The call has come from the Committee on Climate Change and could affect at least 1.2m homes with EPC ratings of F and G.
As of 14th January 2024, any properties rented out in the private sector must have an EPC rating of at least ‘E’ – properties rated as ‘F’ and ‘G’ cannot lawfully be let out.
Is there a minimum EPC rating to sell a house?
Unlike renting a property, there is no minimum rating to sell a house.
When is an EPC not required?
You do not need an Energy Performance Certificate if:
- it is a temporary building;
- used as a place of worship;
- awaiting demolition.
Is it legal to sell a property without an EPC?
By law, an EPC is required before a property can be sold on.
Can I sell my property without an EPC?
Yes, if you have ordered the EPC before putting your property on the market. Failure to do so could result in a fine.
Can you sell a property with an EPC rating of G?
Yes, you can sell an EPC rating of G or worse to Property Saviour.
Many sellers we’ve worked with have come to us with low EPC ratings, and we’ve offered the same advice we’re about to give you now.
We understand that sometimes you need a speedy house sale and don’t have the time or the money to wait patiently for your house to sell through the local estate agents. With the new laws coming into practice – you won’t even be allowed to sell an unmodernised EPC-rated F or G house this way.
Because of this, we get a lot of questions from sellers about taking their low EPC-rated homes to auction.
What’s our opinion? We say absolutely not. Auctions, whilst they seem great on the surface, are time-consuming, very expensive, and can never guarantee a house sale – never mind a fast one.
You’re also likely to lose out on a lot of money, as the auctioneers will often suggest a low reserve price to entice more bidders. Do you want that?
For more information on auction sales, our guide to selling at auction outlines the pros and cons of auctions.
At Property Saviour, we buy any property, including those with a low – or no – EPC rating. If your property is rated between E-G, give us a call. We’ll offer you our expert advice, along with a fair price and a 10-day sale – which is the fastest you’ll find – and that’s a guarantee.
Sell with certainty & speed
Low EPC properties – the cost to upgrade
What are the alternative options? You could consider upgrading your property in order to achieve a higher EPC rating. However, if it’s currently below D, it is going to be expensive.
So, what will you need to do?
Insulation is the biggest factor that affects the EPC rating of a property. Double-glazed windows are a must-have, and as we all know, these don’t come cheap. Depending on the size of our property, having double glazing properly fitted can cost thousands of pounds, and if you try to cut corners and have them fitted cheaply, they are unlikely to do the job and improve your EPC.
Alongside insulation, having a newly fitted boiler is a huge factor contributing to your overall EPC rating. The cost of a new boiler can be up to £3,000 – which is all money that’s being drained from your pocket.
If you need a quick house sale, upgrading your property is going to be time-consuming as well as costly, which is why we advise you to speak to us to discuss all the options and let us guide you through our quick and easy house-buying process.
Why should you let us help?
Not only have we helped many sellers with low EPC-rated properties get a fair deal, but we’ve also provided the fastest house sale service – with a 10-day guaranteed sale.
Unlike many house-buying firms, we buy properties for ourselves; we do not act for investors, and that’s why there won’t be any contracts to sign.
Trying to sell an unmodernised EPC-rated F or G house on your own isn’t easy, and we genuinely want to help you. When we say we will buy your house, we really mean it! We are here to help. So take that first step. Get your free offer.
We know that selling your house can be a stressful time. We want to change that for you. We charge you no fees. We offer free valuation. We will pay £1,500 towards your legal fees. and offer free house clearance. On top of this, we’ll beat all genuine cash offers.
We have helped hundreds of sellers to move on. We believe we can help you, too. Get in touch with us today.
Sell with certainty & speed
Property Saviour Price Promise
- The price we’ll offer is the price that you will receive with no hidden deductions.
- Be careful with ‘cash buyers’ who require a valuation needed for a mortgage or bridging loan.
- These valuations or surveys result in delays and price reductions later on.
- We are cash buyers. There are no surveys.
- We always provide proof of funds with every formal offer issued.
We'll Pay £1,500 Towards Your Legal Fees
- No long exclusivity agreement to sign because we are the buyers.
- You are welcome to use your own solicitor.
- If you don’t have one, we can ask our solicitors for recommendations.
- We share our solicitor’s details and issue a Memorandum of Sale.
Sell With Certainty & Speed
- Our approach is transparent and ethical, which is why sellers trust us.
- 100% Discretion guaranteed.
- If you have another buyer, you can put us in a contracts race to see who completes first.
- Complete in 10 days or at a timescale that works for you. You are in control.
