How much does an EPC cost? What sets the price

An EPC costs what the assessor quotes. GOV.UK says the cost "varies by assessor and the size of the property", so there is no single price. HomeOwners Alliance's October 2026 spot-check found London quotes of £50 to £104 for a two-bedroom house. You must commission an EPC before marketing a home for sale or to let (2012 Regulations).

This guide explains what moves the price, what the fee should include and how to avoid paying for a certificate twice. It is written for landlords, and the same rules apply to a sale. We are EliteShires Property Services, based in Kenton. We carry out EPC assessments for landlords and sellers across Harrow, Kenton, Stanmore and Edgware, at a fixed price confirmed before we attend. We publish no price list, so the only figures below come from a named third party. Checked October 2026.

How much does an EPC cost in 2026?

The latest figures we could verify found quotes from £44 to £104, against an average of around £65. They come from the consumer organisation HomeOwners Alliance (guide updated 22 October 2026):

• an EPC "costs around £65 on average", a figure it takes from reallymoving's Cost of Moving Report 2025;
• its own October 2026 spot-check found quotes "ranging from £44 to £104" across properties from the North East to South Wales;
• for a two-bedroom house in London, the quotes ran from £50 to £104.

HomeOwners Alliance describes its spot-check prices as illustrative, varying by postcode and property. Treat them as a sense of scale, not a quote.

What changes the price of an EPC?

Size and layout change the price most, because they set how long the assessor spends measuring and recording. Access and timing come next. The assessor must record the floor area, the construction of walls, roof and floors, the glazing, the heating and hot water, and the lighting.

What moves an EPC quote, and what to tell the assessor when you book (checked October 2026)

The first three rows are the work itself. The last three are about fitting the visit in, and they are the ones you can control.

What changes the rating but not the price?

Evidence changes the rating. The assessor can only credit what they can see or what your documents prove. Anything they cannot confirm is assumed from the property's age, which usually scores worse than reality. The fee is the same either way, so evidence is free value.

Before the visit, find:

1. Boiler paperwork. The make and model, or the manual. A boiler with a known efficiency scores better than one assumed from its age.
2. Loft access. Clear the hatch so the insulation depth can be seen and photographed.
3. Proof of past works. Window installation dates, cavity wall insulation paperwork, or a building control certificate for an extension.
4. Heating controls. Make sure thermostats, programmers and radiator valves are visible, not behind furniture.

Our guide to reading the ratings on an EPC explains which sections these feed into.

What should the EPC fee include?

The fee should cover the assessment, the lodged certificate and its recommendation report. GOV.UK's guide to EPCs for dwellings says only "an accredited domestic energy assessor" can produce one, and every assessor "must be a member of a government approved accreditation scheme". An EPC must include a recommendation report unless there is no reasonable potential for improvement.

The certificate only counts once it is on the national register. GOV.UK calls the register "the only official place for storing EPC data". Ask any assessor when they will lodge it. Ours covers:

• the on-site assessment by an accredited domestic energy assessor;
• the certificate lodged on the register, normally within 24 hours of the visit;
• the recommendations report, with the measures that would raise the rating;
• a PDF copy for you, and for your agent if you want one.

If something on a certificate looks wrong, GOV.UK says to contact the assessor first, then their accreditation scheme, whose details are on the EPC. Where the scheme finds the information was incorrect, GOV.UK's guide says a new EPC must be issued at no cost to you, so don't pay a second assessor to correct a mistake.

How do you avoid paying for an EPC twice?

Check before you book, and book once with the evidence ready. Most double payments come from five avoidable mistakes.

1. Booking when a valid EPC already exists. Search the GOV.UK Find an energy certificate register first. A certificate under 10 years old can be reused for each new let or sale; our guide to how long an EPC lasts covers the detail.
2. Replacing a good certificate without a reason. A new EPC replaces the old one, even if it scores worse. Commission one when works have changed the home, not "to be safe".
3. Missing evidence on the day. A rating based on assumptions can mean a second assessment once you find the paperwork.
4. No access. A locked loft or room can mean a return visit. Confirm access with the tenant in writing a few days before.
5. Separate visits for each certificate. An EPC can share a visit with the gas safety check and the EICR. Our guides to what changes the price of a gas safety check and what changes the price of an EICR cover those quotes.

Is the cost different for a sale or a let?

No. The assessment and the certificate are the same, and one valid EPC covers both. The differences are in what happens after.

The EPC for a sale and for a let (GOV.UK guidance, checked October 2026)

GOV.UK's guide says the rating must appear in commercial-media adverts, and failure "could result in a fine of £200 per advertisement". The EPC must be given "free of charge" to the person who becomes the buyer or tenant, so the fee cannot be passed on to them. If you are selling, our guide to the certificates you need to sell a house covers the rest of the paperwork.

Do flats, rooms and flats above shops need separate EPCs?

Each self-contained unit needs its own, and a single room does not. GOV.UK says "any building unit which is sold or rented out must have a valid EPC", and gives a self-contained flat as an example. It also says an EPC is not required for an individual room when rented out.

Two local cases come up often:

• Converted houses. Where a house has been split into self-contained flats, each flat is a separate unit, so each needs its own EPC and its own fee.
• Flats above shops. Local parades, including the one our office sits on, have flats above the shops. The flat needs a domestic EPC. The shop below is a separate unit with its own, non-domestic certificate, which is a different assessment.

What does a poor rating cost compared with the certificate?

Far more than the certificate. A home rated F or G generally cannot be let, and penalties for letting below E run up to £5,000 per property. Landlords are currently expected to spend up to £3,500 including VAT on improvements before an exemption applies (GOV.UK landlord guidance, updated 5 May 2026).

The government has also decided to raise the minimum to EPC C by 1 October 2030, with a £10,000 cap. That is a decision announced in January 2026, not yet law. Under it, a C rating issued before 1 October 2029 would stay compliant until it expires. An accurate, well-evidenced assessment is worth more than a cheap one. Our guides to EPC C by 2030 and improving a rental's EPC rating cover the planning.

The EPC will also be one of the documents the new landlord database asks for, under draft regulations awaiting Parliament's approval; see our guide to registering on the landlord database.

How does a fixed EPC quote work with us?

You tell us about the property, we confirm a fixed price, and the price does not change on the day.

1. Send the basics. Address, property type, bedrooms, any extensions and what heats the home.
2. We check the register. If a valid certificate exists and nothing has changed, we tell you, and you don't book.
3. We confirm the fixed price before we attend, and book a slot that suits you or your tenant.
4. The assessor visits, and the certificate is lodged within 24 hours.
5. If the rating is below E, we explain what the report says is holding it down.

Landlords who also need the gas and electrical checks can book all the let's certificates together. For a fixed price on your property, see book an energy assessment, or use your local page below.

EPC in your area

• EPC in Harrow
• EPC in Kenton
• EPC in Stanmore
• EPC in Edgware