How to Improve the EPC Rating of Your Property in Peterborough
By Wayne Beecham | Created on 19th May 2025
The government’s commitment to pursue net-zero emission strategies will likely make life more difficult for landlords. In addition, rising energy prices mean energy-efficient properties are more attractive to potential tenants.
There is a diverse range of properties in Northampton, Kettering, Peterborough and Wellingborough. The market covers everything from modern town centre apartments and post-war family homes to detached houses and Victorian terraces dating back to the 19th Century industrial boom. This diversity means some rental properties will fare better than others on EPC ratings. Under the current laws, all rental properties must achieve an EPC rating of E or better. Period properties are generally less energy efficient than new builds, so they may need more improvements to make the grade.
This article explains the proposed changes to EPC regulations, the likely impact this will have on Peterborough landlords, and how you can improve your property’s EPC rating.
What Is An Energy Performance Certificate?
When a home is sold or rented in the UK, it must have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). An EPC measures the property’s energy efficiency and tells the person living there how much the bills for heating, hot water and lighting might be.
An EPC also includes recommendations for improving the home’s energy efficiency. For each measure, the report tells you how much it will cost to install and estimates your annual savings.
What Are The EPC Rating Bands?
It is easy to see how energy efficient a property is from its rating band. The bands range from A, which is the most efficient to G, least efficient. So, the homes with the lowest energy bills will be in bands A and B.
The average rating for a home in the UK is band D. The current property rating is shown on a chart like this. The chart also shows the rating that could be achieved if the measures for improving energy efficiency are implemented.
How Does The EPC Report Work?
An EPC report is conducted by a qualified home assessor and they will assess how energy efficient the property is. This involves performing a series of measurements of different elements that affect the overall energy efficiency of a property.
They use a template to work through the energy efficiency of different areas of the home, including:
Property construction
Property size
How much insulation there is
How efficient the heating system is
The types of windows in the property
As they complete the EPC report, they will provide ratings, actions and recommendations for improvements, plus an overview of the property features with ratings based on u-values. The report will also include a summary of estimated energy costs so that tenants can see how much their energy bills are likely to be, before moving into a property.
The report also includes projected energy savings that can be made by implementing the actions the assessor recommends.
Why Improve My EPC Rating?
As well as meeting your legal requirements as a landlord, improving your EPC rating can help attract tenants. It’s worth the time and money, even if a home improvement isn’t essential at this point. Making some lower cost improvements, such as improving the insulation, could have a big impact on energy savings. Installing low energy lighting could also help to reduce energy bills, and this can be a quick and low-cost change.
Residential property is responsible for an estimated 15% of greenhouse gas emissions in the UK. Reducing the environmental impact of our homes will go a long way towards protecting our planet and halting climate change.
To bring the nation’s carbon emissions down, the government has set Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) legislation stipulating that all rental properties have an EPC rating of E or above. The proposed new legislation, planned to take effect in 2028 for new tenancies and from 2030 for all tenancies, will require rental property to have a minimum C rating.
Improvements can also reduce energy bills, so your potential tenants will value a good EPC rating. No one wants to rent a house that’s draughty, cold and expensive to run. If your rental property has a good energy efficiency rating, prospective tenants will know they can save on their bills and are likely to choose your property over a similar one that has higher energy bills.
There were plans for the minimum EPC rating for rental properties to be increased to C from 2025 for new tenancies; and by 2028, all tenancies would have needed to comply. However, these plans have been delayed.
Plans under the new Labour Government will require rental properties to be a minimum C rating from 2028 for new tenancies and for existing tenancies, the deadline will be 2030. The proposals are currently in consultation phase and could change but these are the expected deadlines.
It’s not just the minimum home energy rating that’s changing. The cost cap on making improvements will be raised from £3,500 to £15,000 under the current proposals. However, there may be an affordability exemption, which could cap the energy improvement costs to £10,000 for properties with lower council tax bands and ones that are in areas with lower rents.
How will Peterborough properties be affected by the new minimum EPC rating?
The local area beats the national average on energy efficiency, with 40% of homes currently rated at least C. That’s well above the average of 30% but still leaves a sizeable number of properties with work to do.
However, there is plenty of time for landlords to prepare for the new legislation if their property does not currently meet the proposed minimum C rating. Peterborough landlords can start preparing by reviewing the recommendations on their existing EPC report.
For older properties such as Victorian detached or terraced houses, which are common in Peterborough, energy efficiency tends to be lower. Therefore, starting to make improvements over the next few years will help meet the new rating requirements.
9 Ways To Improve Your Property’s EPC Rating
1. Top Up Loft Insulation
The simplest way to improve your EPC rating is to ensure your loft insulation is at least 270mm thick. Good loft insulation will reduce the energy that can escape through the roof.
Installing new installation is relatively cheap, with loose fill insulation starting from around £10 per square metre. Several types of installation can be self-installed, without paying for the cost of a professional. Energy savings of around £350 per year can be achieved in some properties.
2. Add Cavity Wall Insulation
Cavity wall insulation is suitable for properties that have been built with a gap between two layers of brick. Insulation can be blown into the gap from the outside of your property through holes drilled in the wall. These holes are later filled to match your brickwork.
Cavity wall insulation is an easy and relatively cheap way to improve your EPC rating by tackling heat loss. If your property has solid walls, the price is significantly higher. Solid wall insulation can cost as much as £10,000 or £20,000. This is necessary for older properties where no cavities exist between the wall, so an entire new layer of insulation needs to be built against the wall, either internally or externally.
3. Replace An Old Boiler
An old and inefficient boiler will dramatically reduce the EPC rating of your property, so fitting an energy-efficient one can make a real difference. Installing a more efficient boiler is costly but will massively improve your rating.
You might also want to consider renewable heating solutions such as heat pumps and biomass boilers. Air source heat pumps are extremely energy efficient and while they cost significantly more at around £8,000 to £18,000, though the UK government offers grants to significantly offset the cost.
Biomass boilers use organic materials to produce energy, which greatly reduces carbon emissions compared to standard boilers. Installing a biomass boiler costs around £4,000 to £10,000. Again, there are grants available to help cover the costs, such as the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.
4. Install Double Or Triple Glazing
Invest in double or triple-glazed windows if you don’t already have them. Double glazing doesn’t add as many points as loft and wall insulation. But if your property isn’t already double-glazed, installing it will boost your score by up to ten points.
Triple glazing is becoming more mainstream and will reduce the heat that escapes your windows. However, if you already have double glazing, you will gain only a minimal improvement to your EPC rating by upgrading it to triple glazing.
Fitting homes with double and triple glazing can cost an average of £4,500. But this addition can give them the edge with tenants.
5. Consider Installing Solar Panels
Installing solar panels on your home is another way to improve the energy rating of your property. The average cost of installing solar panels ranges from around £5,000 to £12,000, depending on the size, panel specification and roof complexity.
Renewable energy sources such as solar panels are better for the planet and can save tenants a lot of money on their energy bills. Solar panels can deliver energy cost savings of around £500 per year, so they can be a worthwhile long-term investment. Properties with large roof areas that are south, east or west-facing can generate a large amount of energy.
6. Install Energy-Efficient Lighting
Replacing your old traditional incandescent light bulbs with halogen bulbs, compact fluorescent lamps or LED bulbs is a quick and easy way to score a few extra points on your EPC. Although their initial cost is higher, you save money because these bulbs use much less energy. LED light bulbs can last as much as 40 times as long as a traditional incandescent bulb.
7. Add Floor Insulation
Fitting new floor insulation could prevent 20% of the property’s heat loss, improving your EPC score and cutting energy bills by £180. The average cost is between £1,500 and £3,000, with the exact figure depending on your property’s flooring and the insulation type.
8. Add hot water cylinder insulation
Hot water cylinder insulation is a relatively cheap way to improve your EPC score. A hot water cylinder jacket costs around £20, and insulation for the connecting pipes is also affordable.
Add an intelligent thermostat and thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) to your heating system to gain even more EPC points. Smart heating controls can help cut carbon emissions, and tenants will appreciate them since they can help reduce heating bills.
Government Help To Improve Energy Efficiency
There are a number of government schemes that can help with the costs of energy efficiency improvements. These include:
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme – Grants of up to £7,500 for property owners for installing energy efficient heating systems such as heat pumps and biomass boilers.
Great British Insulation Scheme – Free or cheaper insulation for homes with low energy efficiency, typically for homes with EPC ratings of D to G.
Energy Company Obligation – Energy suppliers are required to help low income households and those regarded as ‘fuel poor’ by funding certain energy efficiency improvements.
Warm Homes: Local Grant – Grants from local authorities for energy performance upgrades in properties with a poor EPC rating. The grants are allocated to homes in deprived areas, and where the gross annual income of the occupiers is less than £36,000.
Benefits of Improving Your EPC
It’s not cheap to install solar panels or upgrade the heating system, but there are benefits beyond EPC ratings. Home energy efficiency is important to tenants, so that a good EPC score could give you an edge in the rental market. You will typically see a reduction in mould and condensation problems, bringing your maintenance expenses down.
There are long-term benefits too. Properties with good EPC ratings can often increase in value – good news if you eventually decide to sell. Looking at the bigger picture, you’re lowering your property’s carbon footprint.
How Much Does An EPC Check Cost?
The cost of an EPC check ranges from £49 to £120, depending on the location and size of the property. Some assessors in Peterborough offer a flat fee of £49.
Contact us, and we will be more than happy to help you.
Contact Us
"*" indicates required fields
Share
Wayne Beecham
Wayne is East Midland’s answer to property management. His hard work and high standards of service have gained him a fierce reputation within the regional lettings market. He knows what it takes to own and manage a profitable portfolio himself, because he is not only a successful investor and landlord, but co-founder and “hands on” managing director of Progressive Lets.
The team is really professional and time conscious. Had a smooth move in as well.
Rita Davey
Very good communication and friendly service, long may it continue. Thank you guys at Proggesive Lets!
Michael Wadham
Very friendly and professional service by Joe Mulhearn throughout the rental application process.
prince sarfo
Lovely timely response and assistance.
Very good
Keep it up
Olamide Ige
Wow!!! Zoe is an amazing soul. Very helpful and accommodating. The sky is the limit for her!!! She did an amazing job.
To Zoe, God bless you more and more ❤️
Grzybobranie
Been renting with them for over 3 years now and overall had a good experience. Of course over that amount of time there were a few issues here and there, which is pretty normal, but whenever I needed help Kieron was always easy to deal with, helpful and quick to respond. Communication was always str...
Aghogho Braimah
Progressive Lets is a very good and professional lettings agency. As a it was my first time letting a property, the company particularly the property manager Tam, was very patient and kind best believe I had too many questions to ask. I highly recommend Progressive Lets to anyone looking to rent ...
If you are looking to invest in an HMO or are an existing HMO landlord wanting to improve your yield and occupancy levels, then our 7 Step HMO Strategy is for you.
Get your FREE COPY of our '7 Step HMO Strategy’ TODAY!
