Domestic EPCs in North Devon
Accredited domestic EPC assessor covering Bideford, Barnstaple, South Molton, Bude & North Devon. Transparent fixed pricing and same-day certificates.
Professional Domestic Energy Performance Certificates Across North Devon & North Cornwall
If you are selling or letting a property, having a valid EPC is a legal requirement. I’m Marc Baker, an accredited Domestic Energy Assessor based in Bideford, providing clear, reliable assessments for homeowners, landlords, and estate agents throughout North Devon, North Cornwall, and surrounding areas.
An EPC rates your property’s energy efficiency from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient) and provides practical recommendations to reduce running costs. I carry out every survey personally, lodge the certificate directly on the official national register, and typically deliver your completed report the very same day.
What is an Energy Performance Certificate?
An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) provides an indication of how energy efficient a property is.
Every property assessed receives a rating from A (most energy efficient) to G (least energy efficient). Your certificate also includes information about the property's estimated energy performance and recommendations for improvements that could help increase its efficiency.
An EPC isn't a structural survey or a report on the condition of your property. Instead, the assessment focuses on the parts of the building that influence its energy performance, including insulation, heating, windows, hot water and lighting.
When do you need an EPC?
Under UK law, an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is required whenever a property is built, sold, or rented. Specifically, you need a valid EPC in the following situations:
1. Selling a Property
Putting a home on the market: You must have ordered or already possess a valid EPC before you market a residential property for sale (privately or via an estate agent).
Displaying the rating: The energy rating must be clearly displayed on commercial listings and property advertisements.
2. Letting or Renting Out a Property
New tenancies or renewals: Landlords must provide a valid EPC to prospective tenants before signing a tenancy agreement.
Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES): Privately rented residential properties must have a minimum EPC rating of E (unless a valid statutory exemption is registered). It is unlawful to let a property rated F or G.
3. Construction & Conversions
New builds: Newly constructed residential buildings require an "on-construction" EPC upon completion before the building control sign-off.
Subdivisions and mergers: Significant building alterations that change the number of separate dwellings (e.g., converting a large house into flats or merging separate units into one) require a new EPC.
Changes to heating/air conditioning zones: Any modification resulting in new individual self-contained heating or utility setups.
4. Applying for Green Grants & Funding
Government energy schemes: Many heating and insulation grant schemes (such as the Boiler Upgrade Scheme or ECO4 funding) require an up-to-date EPC to confirm property eligibility and assess heating requirements.
Green mortgages: Lenders offering discounted "green mortgage" rates often require an accredited EPC confirming a rating of A or B.
Selling a property
If you're selling your home, an EPC generally needs to be in place before the property is marketed for sale.
Having your EPC arranged early can help ensure there are no unnecessary delays when you're ready to put your property on the market.
Renting out a property
Landlords generally need a valid EPC when letting a property to a new tenant.
The certificate gives prospective tenants information about the property's energy efficiency and can also highlight areas where the property's energy performance could potentially be improved.
There are also minimum energy efficiency requirements for many privately rented properties, so landlords should make sure they understand the current regulations that apply to their property.
What happens during an EPC assessment?
An EPC assessment is a straightforward inspection of the property.
The assessor will look at the features that have an impact on the property's energy performance. This can include:
The size and layout of the property
The construction of the walls, roof and floors
Loft and other insulation
Windows and external doors
The main heating system
Hot water systems
Heating controls
Lighting
Renewable energy systems, where installed
Where possible, the assessor will need access to relevant areas of the property, such as the loft, boiler and heating controls.
If you've had improvements carried out to the property, such as installing insulation, replacing the boiler or fitting new windows, it's useful to have any relevant information available for the assessment.
Once the assessment has been completed, the information is used to produce your EPC.
Understanding your EPC rating
Your property's EPC rating is shown on a scale from A to G.
A represents a highly energy-efficient property, while G represents a property with a lower energy efficiency rating.
The rating is calculated using a standardised assessment methodology. It isn't simply based on your current energy bills or how much energy your household happens to use.
The construction of the property, insulation, heating system, glazing and other features all contribute to the final rating.
Your EPC will also include recommendations for improvements that could potentially improve the property's energy performance.
What improvements might an EPC recommend?
Every property is different, so the recommendations will depend on the characteristics of the building and the systems installed.
Depending on the property, recommendations may include:
Improving loft insulation
Adding or improving wall insulation
Improving floor insulation
Upgrading heating systems
Installing better heating controls
Replacing inefficient lighting
Improving windows and glazing
Considering renewable energy technologies
An EPC isn't a quotation for carrying out these improvements, and not every recommendation will necessarily be appropriate for your particular property.
However, it can give homeowners and landlords a useful starting point when considering future improvements.
Can an EPC help reduce energy bills?
Improving the energy efficiency of a property can potentially reduce the amount of energy required to heat and run it.
Your EPC recommendations can help identify areas where improvements may be worth considering. The actual savings will vary depending on the property, how it is used and the improvements carried out.
An EPC should therefore be viewed as a guide to the property's energy performance rather than a guarantee of a particular saving on your energy bills.
Why does an EPC rating matter when selling a property?
Energy efficiency can be an important consideration for prospective buyers.
A property's EPC gives buyers an indication of its current energy performance and highlights potential improvements. A more energy-efficient home may also be attractive to buyers who are conscious of ongoing household running costs.
For sellers, arranging an EPC early means you have the information available before marketing the property.