Sample EPC explained: Fictional annotated example — not an issued EPC

Certificate-style example

Fictional annotated example — not an issued EPC

Annotations

1. 1Annotation 1: Current and potential energy rating and band

   A domestic EPC shows a modelled energy efficiency score from 1 to 100 and the band letter that score falls into, together with a potential score if the certificate's recommended measures were carried out. The score carries more information than the letter, because a band spans a range of points.

   The potential figure is modelled from the certificate's recommendation package under standard assumptions. It is not an absolute physical ceiling or a guaranteed outcome.

   Back to marker 1 in the example

2. 2Annotation 2: Assessment and validity dates, and why currency matters

   A certificate describes the building as recorded on the assessment date. Domestic certificates are normally valid for ten years, and a valid certificate can still be out of date in practice if insulation, glazing or heating has changed since the assessment.

   Always check the date before relying on a certificate, and look up the current certificate for a specific property on the official government register rather than an older copy.

   Back to marker 2 in the example

3. 3Annotation 3: Non-identifying building details, and why type and age matter

   A certificate records details including property type, built form, construction age band and floor area. These help explain the assessed home, but EPC Benchmark does not use all of them as comparison matches.

   EPC Benchmark shows four separate comparisons: all homes in the postcode district; homes of the same property type in that district; homes in the same construction-age band in that district; and homes of the same property type and construction-age band across England and Wales. The two local attribute views are separate: the site does not combine district, property type and age into one comparison group. It does not match on built form or floor area.

   Back to marker 3 in the example

4. 4Annotation 4: Main heating and hot water information

   The certificate records the main heat generator, its fuel, the heating controls and how hot water is provided. These entries carry substantial weight in the modelled score, and controls are recorded separately from the heat generator itself.

   Read this section alongside the fabric entries: a strong heating entry can sit beside a weak wall entry, and the band letter hides which is which.

   Back to marker 4 in the example

5. 5Annotation 5: Walls, roof, floor, windows and insulation

   Fabric elements are each described and rated. Where an element could not be inspected or supported by acceptable evidence, the assessor may record an assumed value, which is why an entry can read “no insulation (assumed)”. An assumption alone is not proof of an error.

   If an entry appears not to reflect the home on the assessment date, check relevant evidence and contact the assessor. A correction, cancellation or replacement of the lodged record, or a reassessment, may be appropriate; the outcome is not guaranteed.

   Back to marker 5 in the example

6. 6Annotation 6: Improvement recommendations and their ordering

   Certificates show a modelled recommendation package for the assessed building. Read the stated package itself, then check the suitability of each measure and any dependencies with an assessor or qualified installer before planning work.

   EPC Benchmark attaches no point gain to any individual measure. Recommendation figures elsewhere on this site are associations with a certificate's total current-to-potential gap, not item-specific uplifts.

   Back to marker 6 in the example

7. 7Annotation 7: Indicative costs are assessment ranges, not quotes

   Where a certificate shows costs, they are indicative ranges produced inside the assessment model. They are not quotations, do not reflect a particular property's access, condition or local prices, and can be years out of date.

   No cost estimates are shown, because this release does not contain validated current costs.

   Back to marker 7 in the example

8. 8Annotation 8: Identifier fields: certificate references and UPRNs

   Real certificates carry a certificate reference number, used to retrieve that certificate on the official register, and a UPRN, the Unique Property Reference Number that identifies an address record. Neither is shown in this fictional example.

   EPC Benchmark does not request, collect, store or display an address, full postcode, UPRN or certificate identifier. Comparison uses postcode district, property type and construction age band only.

   Back to marker 8 in the example

How to use this sample

• Read the score before the letter: a band spans several points, and the position within the band matters.
• Check the assessment date, then confirm the recorded elements still describe the building.
• Work through the fabric and heating entries element by element to see where the score was earned or lost.
• Treat the recommendation list and any indicative costs as the assessor's model for that building, then take professional advice before committing to work.
• For a specific home, retrieve the actual certificate from the official government register rather than relying on a sample or a copy.

What it cannot tell you

• It cannot tell you what a household will actually spend: an EPC is modelled under standard occupancy and heating assumptions, not metered.
• It is not a survey, valuation, safety inspection or statement of legal compliance.
• It does not confirm that a recommended measure is suitable for a particular building, or what it would cost to install today.
• It cannot describe work carried out after the assessment date, which appears only on a later certificate.
• This page in particular describes no real property, and shows no real certificate, assessor, occupant or recommendation package.

Data notes and limitations

• This aggregate release does not combine postcode district, property type and construction age in one published cell. The four views below are shown separately and must not be read as a single jointly matched cohort. The national property type and construction age archetype is the closest combined attribute view; the district views add geographic context.
• Groups smaller than 5 properties are not published, so some views are unavailable for smaller districts.
• This is not live data and it does not update automatically. The source snapshot ends 31 July 2026 and this release was generated on 23 August 2026.
• No address, full postcode, UPRN or certificate identifier is requested, stored or displayed.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

Official sources used on this page. Guidance changes, so check the current version for the position that applies today.

• GOV.UK — Find an energy certificate

  The official register for retrieving the real certificate and recommendations for a specific property.

• GOV.UK — Energy performance certificates when buying or selling a home

  Official guidance on what an EPC contains and when one is required.

• GOV.UK — Energy performance certificates: selling a home

  How long a certificate remains valid and who is responsible for obtaining one.

• Office for National Statistics — Energy efficiency of housing in England and Wales (2024)

  Band letters and their published score ranges.

Underlying data: EPC Register (MHCLG), ONS National Statistics UPRN Lookup. Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Questions about this page: info@epcbenchmark.co.uk.