How long does an EPC last, and what to do when it expires

The ten year rule

A domestic energy performance certificate is valid for ten years from the date of the assessment, not the date it was lodged or the date you bought the home. During that period it can be reused: if you sell, and then the buyer lets the property two years later, the same certificate still covers both events. There is no requirement to renew a valid certificate just because the property changed hands.

When you actually need a new one

• You are marketing the property for sale or rent and the existing certificate has expired.
• There has never been a certificate, because the home has not been sold or let since the requirement began.
• You have completed improvements and want the better rating reflected before marketing.
• You are a landlord sitting just below the minimum standard and need evidence of compliance.
• A grant, finance product or green mortgage requires a current assessment.

When renewing early is worth it

An old certificate models the house as it was on the day of the visit. If you have since insulated the loft, filled cavities, replaced a boiler, added solar or upgraded controls, an unexpired certificate is actively working against you: buyers and tenants see the old band, and lenders offering better rates for efficient homes see it too. A reassessment is inexpensive next to the work you have already paid for.

What an expired certificate still tells you

As a buyer, an expired certificate is not worthless. Floor area, construction age band, built form, wall and roof construction rarely change, and the recommendations list gives you a decent map of what the home was missing. Treat the band as historic and the fabric detail as broadly current, then verify anything expensive during the survey.