How to Pass an EPC Assessment: 10 Tips to Improve Your Rating

10 Tips to Improve Your EPC Rating

Your EPC rating directly affects your property's value, rentability, and grant eligibility. Here are 10 practical ways to improve your score before the assessment.

1. Install or Top Up Loft Insulation

Impact: Up to £315/year savings | 1-2 EPC bands improvement

If your loft has less than 270mm of insulation, topping it up is the single most cost-effective improvement you can make. Many properties built before 2004 have inadequate loft insulation.

Cost: £200-£400 (DIY possible) Grant eligible: Yes — check eligibility

2. Upgrade to LED Lighting

Impact: Small but easy points

Replace all old halogen and incandescent bulbs with LED equivalents. This is one of the cheapest improvements you can make and contributes to your overall score.

Cost: £50-£100 for a whole property Grant eligible: Sometimes included in grant packages

3. Install Cavity Wall Insulation

Impact: Up to £275/year savings | 1-2 EPC bands

If your property has cavity walls (most post-1920s properties), filling the cavity is highly effective. Check whether your walls are suitable — not all cavity walls can be insulated.

Cost: £500-£1,500 (often fully grant-funded) Grant eligible: Yes — ECO4 and GBIS

4. Upgrade Your Heating System

Impact: Up to 2-3 EPC bands

If your boiler is more than 15 years old, upgrading to a modern A-rated combi boiler can significantly improve your EPC. Even better: an air source heat pump can lift your rating by 3+ bands.

Cost: £2,000-£3,000 (boiler) / £7,000-£14,000 (heat pump) Grant eligible: Heat pumps are fully funded under ECO4 and Warm Homes

Read our retrofit guide →

5. Install Thermostatic Radiator Valves (TRVs)

Impact: Small improvement

TRVs let you control individual room temperatures, reducing wasted energy. They're relatively cheap and contribute to your heating controls score.

Cost: £150-£300 Grant eligible: Sometimes included

6. Add Hot Water Cylinder Insulation

Impact: Small but easy

If you have a hot water cylinder, ensure it has a jacket of at least 80mm thickness. A new jacket costs about £15-£25 and takes 30 minutes to fit.

Cost: £15-£25 Grant eligible: Sometimes included

7. Install Double Glazing

Impact: Up to £160/year savings | 1 band

Single-glazed properties lose significant heat. Upgrading to double glazing improves both your EPC rating and property value.

Cost: £3,000-£8,000 for a typical 3-bed house Grant eligible: Sometimes under Warm Homes

8. Add Draught Proofing

Impact: £25-£50/year savings

Draught-proofing doors, windows, chimneys, and loft hatches is cheap and effective. It won't dramatically change your EPC score but every point counts.

Cost: £50-£150 (DIY possible) Grant eligible: Sometimes included

9. Install Solar PV Panels

Impact: 2-3 EPC bands

Solar panels reduce your electricity bills and significantly boost your EPC rating. They're a major improvement that makes your property more attractive to buyers and tenants.

Cost: £4,000-£8,000 Grant eligible: Yes — under ECO4 and Warm Homes

Check your solar grant eligibility →

10. Get a Smart Meter

Impact: Indirect

While a smart meter doesn't directly affect your EPC rating, it helps you understand and reduce your energy usage. Some assessors note its presence as part of heating system modernity.

Cost: Free (provided by energy suppliers)

The Big Picture

Improving your EPC rating from D to C can:

• Increase property value by up to 14%
• Let your property faster (for landlords)
• Qualify you for green mortgage products
• Unlock up to £15,000 in grant funding

Don't Guess — Get Assessed

The best way to know what improvements will work for your property is to get a professional EPC assessment. The recommendations report included with every EPC tells you exactly what to do and in what order.

If you're planning multiple improvements, a PAS 2035 retrofit assessment provides a comprehensive whole-house plan and checks your grant eligibility.

Bundle and Save

If you need an EPC plus other services:

• EPC + Inventory: save 10%
• EPC + Inventory + Inspection: save 15%
• 4+ services: save 20%

Book your EPC assessment →

Call 0121 7989017 for same-day appointments across Birmingham, Coventry, Wolverhampton, and the wider West Midlands.