How long is an EPC valid for? - Richard Kendall Estate Agents

An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is one of the key documents you’ll need when selling your home. In this article, we’ll cover everything you need to know about the duration of your home’s EPC and its importance in the selling process.

What is an EPC?

An EPC provides a rating of your home’s energy efficiency and its environmental impact. The rating ranges from ‘A’ (most efficient) to ‘G’ (least efficient) and includes recommendations for improving energy efficiency. The certificate helps potential buyers understand the energy performance of the property they are considering buying, as this will dictate how much it costs to run said property.

How long is an EPC valid for?

Once your home been issued its EPC rating, it will be valid for 10 years. This means that if you have an EPC rating that was issued within the last decade, you can use it to sell your property without needing a new assessment. However, if your EPC is older than 10 years, you’ll need to commission a new one before you can place your home on the market.

Checking your EPC’s validity

You can refer to the certificate itself to check if your EPC is still valid as it should state the date of issue and the expiry date. Additionally, you can look up your property’s EPC through GOV.uk, where you can download a copy of the certificate and verify its validity.

When should I get a new EPC?

Even though EPCs have a 10-year life-span, there are circumstances when you might consider getting a new one before selling your home:

Renovations – If you have made significant energy efficiency improvements to your home, such as double glazing, installing a new boiler, or insulation, a new EPC could reflect these changes and provide a better rating.
Marketing to buyers – If potential buyers express concern about the current EPC rating, an updated assessment might help reassure them of the property’s efficiency.
Standing out in a busy market – In a competitive market, having an up-to-date EPC with a good rating can make your property stand out from the rest.

Times when EPC's are exempt

Certain properties are exempt from requiring an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) under UK regulations. These include listed buildings or those in conservation areas where energy efficiency improvements would unacceptably alter their character or appearance. Additionally, buildings with a total floor area of under 50 square metres, non-residential agricultural buildings, places of worship, and temporary structures used for less than two years do not require an EPC. Richard Kendall Estate Agent can help clarify whether a specific property falls under any of these exemptions, ensuring compliance with EPC regulations while preserving the unique nature of special properties.

How to get a new EPC

You can obtain an up-to-date EPC rating by contacting any of our local offices, here at Richard Kendall we have qualified Domestic Energy Assessor (DEA). The Energy Performance assessment can be carried out at the same time as the photographs in preparation to listing the property for sale to ensure compliance with legal requirements and to leave some time to make cost-effective improvements.

If you require an EPC on your property telephone us today - We can help!

What Our Customers Say...

Richard Kendall Estate Agents have been handling the sale of my property. Mandy has been my main contact. We've been extremely unlucky with buyers due to their personal reasons but throughout it all Mandy has dealt with everything with complete professionalism. She updated me with extreme regularity and I never felt I couldn't contact her. The agency certainly earned their very reasonable fee. Linda 21/10/2025

Karen at Richard Kendall was excellent in helping us through the process of buying a house. Her communication was regular and clear, and she was always on hand to deal with any queries or questions. Johnathan 21/10/2025

Absolute professionalism dealing with my house sale. Such efficiency, care and expertise. I would like to say a special thank you to Amanda Dyson at the Pontefract store who went above and beyond. You made a massive difference to the whole process. Thank you C 21/10/2025

We would like to say a massive thank you to Donna and Suzanne at the Ossett Branch for all their help during our house sale. It was a very difficult and stressful time for us due to a lengthy chain with plenty of complications and without them to reassure and guide us along we wouldn’t have made it through. Also we’d like to thank Karen at the Wakefield branch for her efficiency and help with our purchase. We can highly recommend Richard Kendall Estate Agent for both buying and selling properties. Christine 21/10/2025

A seamless process from start to finish. Everything was taken care of professionally and in a timely fashion. I would highly recommend Richard Kendall Estate Agents and a special thank you to Alison for making selling our property easy.I wouldn't hesitate to recommend Joanne and Richard Kendall Estate Agency. Hazel Holdsworth Greg 21/10/2025

My agent was Sarah she was great . Always kept me well informed , always pleasant and very professional . I like that Richard Kendall always answer the phone, all the agents are easy to talk to and very helpful at all times . I would recommend them to family and friends .Their whole team were nothing but professional excellence from beginning to end with our property being processed from market to completion in a little less than 6 months. Special thanks to Cathrine and Shireen for their care and attention to detail with excellent communication at every stage of the process. THANKYOU ALL Team Wakefield. Consumer 21/10/2025

Couldn’t have asked for a better experience buying a house for the first time, Liz was lovely and kept in touch with us regularly. Thanks so much for all your help. Rebecca 21/10/2025

We have never sold a house before and had heard that it can be a very stressful process. In many ways it was, but the whole experience was made much more bearable and positive due to the great service provided by 2 wonderful ladies - J and D. They provided great service, kept us updated, were both cheerful and up beat and encouraging when viewings were slow, and offered helpful advice and guidance. When a purchaser was eventually found, they were in regular contact with the buyers and solicitors and helped to move things along. Great team work. Claire 21/10/2025

I've sold both my Mothers and Sisters house with Richard Kendall Ossett branch. Excellent company, very professional, polite and friendly staff, nothing too much trouble. All the staff was very helpful and Lucy kept us informed and updated on all stages of our sale. Would definitely recommend this company, and would use again Brian 21/10/2025

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