Seventy-seven per cent of UK homeowners now say the Energy Performance Certificate rating will matter when they next move home, up from 65% in 2021. That is not a niche opinion. It is a market signal.
The survey, carried out by the HomeOwners Alliance and BLP Insurance and reported by Yahoo Finance UK, shows that energy efficiency has crossed from a ‘nice to have’ into a ‘must have’ for almost four in five sellers and buyers. For anyone planning to list a property in the next two years, ignoring the EPC is now a financial risk.
Why the shift matters to your sale price
The average UK home sits at EPC band D. A typical three-bed semi on that rating uses around 12,000 kWh of gas and 2,700 kWh of electricity per year, a combined energy bill of roughly £1,900 under the October 2024 price cap. Move that same home to band C, and the annual bill drops by about £300–£400. Over five years, that difference covers the cost of basic insulation upgrades.
Buyers are doing the maths. A C-rated home costs less to run, qualifies for greener mortgage products (Nationwide, Barclays and Lloyds all offer lower rates for EPC A–C properties), and avoids the looming threat of minimum standards. The government has consulted on requiring all owner-occupied homes to reach EPC C by 2035. That is not law yet, but the direction of travel is clear.
What it costs to go from D to C
The catch is that upgrading from D to C is not cheap. Energy Saving Trust estimates that cavity wall insulation costs £700–£1,200, loft insulation £300–£600, and upgrading a gas boiler to an A-rated model around £2,500–£4,000. If the home has single glazing or solid walls, the bill climbs faster: secondary glazing runs £2,000–£6,000, while solid wall insulation can hit £8,000–£15,000.
Yet the return is measurable. A 2023 study by Nationwide found that moving from EPC D to C added 5% to a property’s value on average, about £14,000 on a typical UK home. That more than covers the upgrade cost for most semi-detached houses. For landlords, the calculus is even tighter: from 2028, all new tenancies in England and Wales will require an EPC C minimum, with fines of up to £30,000 for non-compliance.
Grants and support available now
The Great British Insulation Scheme offers free or discounted cavity wall and loft insulation for households on certain benefits or with low EPC ratings. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme provides £7,500 toward a heat pump, though that only makes sense if the property is already well insulated. Households in Scotland can access Warmer Homes Scotland grants up to £7,500; in Wales, the Nest scheme covers similar work.
Ofgem data shows that as of July 2024, only 12% of eligible households had applied for the Great British Insulation Scheme. That is a massive underspend. The application process takes about 20 minutes online, and installers are accredited by TrustMark. For most D-rated homes, the quickest win is loft insulation: it costs under £400, takes a day, and can lift the EPC by one full band on its own.
What sellers should do next
If you are planning to sell within two years, commission an EPC assessment now, even if you are not required to have one yet. The assessor will give you a full recommendations report, not just a rating. Prioritise the measures with the best cost-to-band-lift ratio: loft insulation first, then cavity wall, then boiler upgrade or secondary glazing.
Buyers, meanwhile, should ask for the EPC before making an offer. A D-rated home needs a £5,000–£10,000 discount to compensate for future upgrade costs. A C-rated home is the new baseline. The 77% have already decided. The market is following.
Frequently Asked Questions
An EPC assessment typically costs £60–£120 depending on the property size and location. The certificate is valid for 10 years. You can find accredited assessors through the government's EPC register.
The government has proposed that all owner-occupied homes must reach EPC C by 2035, but this is not yet law. However, from 2028, all new tenancies in England and Wales will require EPC C. Many mortgage lenders already offer better rates for C-rated homes, so upgrading now makes financial sense.
