What is an EPC and why do you need one?
An EPC is an Energy Performance Certificate rating a building from A to G on energy efficiency. It is legally required before any Warwick property is marketed for sale or let, lasts ten years, and starts from £60. NextDay EPC lodges every certificate to the national register.
- Valid for 10 years and attached to the property, not the owner.
- The band must appear in the sale or lettings advertisement.
- Produced only by an accredited domestic or non-domestic assessor.
- Comes with a prioritised list of recommended improvements.
An Energy Performance Certificate rates how energy-efficient a building is, from A (most efficient) to G (least). If you are selling or letting a property anywhere in Warwick, you are legally required to have one, and the rating must appear in the advertisement.
The short answer
An EPC is produced by an accredited assessor who visits the property, records its construction, insulation, heating, hot water and lighting, and runs those inputs through government-approved software. You get two things: a rating from A to G, and a list of recommended improvements. It is valid for 10 years and starts from £60 for a domestic property.
| Band | SAP score | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| A | 92–100 | Excellent — very low running costs |
| B | 81–91 | Very good — efficient modern home |
| C | 69–80 | Good — the target for rented homes by 2030 |
| D | 55–68 | Average — where most of the area sits |
| E | 39–54 | Below par — today’s legal minimum to let |
| F–G | 1–38 | Poor — cannot be let without works or an exemption |
When you legally need one
- Before a property is marketed for sale anywhere in Warwick
- Before a property is marketed to let, including a renewal to a new tenant
- When a new building is completed
- When a commercial building is sold, let or substantially modified
The certificate must be commissioned before marketing begins, and you must hold it within 28 days. In practice, Warwick estate agents will not publish a listing without it.
What it costs
| Property size | Typical EPC price | Turnaround |
|---|---|---|
| 1 bedroom | £60 | Next-day available |
| 2–3 bedrooms | £80 | Next-day available |
| 4–5 bedrooms | £100 | Next-day available |
| 6+ bedrooms | On request | Next-day available |
What the rating actually depends on
The calculation is dominated by the building fabric and the heating system, in that order. Walls and roofs carry the most weight, followed by the heating and hot-water system and its controls, then glazing, then lighting. It is worth knowing that the EPC models a standard occupancy pattern — it is a comparison of buildings, not a prediction of your bills.
Warwick's housing stock spans a wide range, and the Blitz shaped it: a post-war city centre, the Victorian terraces that survived at Warwick Town Centre and Bridge End, inter-war suburbs at Coten End and Emscote, the big rebuild estates at Hampton Magna and Woodloes Park, and modern housing at Warwick Gates. Each of those scores differently, and each responds to different improvements.
Next steps
See our Domestic EPC service, our Commercial EPC service for business premises, or get an instant quote. Landlords should read our MEES consultancy page.
Looking for your own area? We have local EPC guides for Saltisford, Woodloes Park, Rowington, Wolverton, Warwick city centre, Forbes Estate, Wolverton, Rowington and every other Warwick area.
