A room let on its own in a shared house does not need its own EPC. The whole house needs one when it is sold or let as a whole, and each self-contained flat needs its own. That is the rule today. The government has said it will change it so that a whole HMO needs a valid EPC as soon as a single room is let.
Why a single room does not need an EPC
An EPC belongs to a building, or to a part of a building designed or altered to be used separately. Government guidance is clear that a room rented out on its own is neither, so it does not need a certificate. A self-contained home is one with its own kitchen and bathroom; a room that shares them is part of the house, not a home in its own right.
When the whole house needs one
- When it is sold. The same rules as any sale — see do you need an EPC to sell your house.
- When it is let as a whole. A group of sharers on one joint tenancy are renting the whole house, so it needs an EPC before it is advertised, and the tenants must be given a copy.
A certificate lasts ten years, however many times the house is let in that time. Tenants already living there do not need one.
Self-contained flats and bedsits
A flat or bedsit with its own kitchen and bathroom is a home in its own right, so it needs its own EPC when it is let. A bedsit that shares a kitchen or a bathroom is treated like any other room.
The band E minimum
The rule that rented homes must be rated E or above applies to properties that are legally required to have an EPC. That is why a house let room by room has usually sat outside it — and why the planned change below matters: once a whole-house EPC is needed when a room is let, the minimum standard follows. The landlord guide covers the standard and how exemptions work.
Licensing is separate. Councils can ask for an EPC with a licence application whatever the national rules say, and several London councils do: Havering and Barking and Dagenham both list one among the documents they want.
What the government has said is changing
- A whole-house EPC when a single room is let. Announced in the government’s response on EPC reform in March 2026.
- An EPC at the point of marketing, without the current few weeks’ grace.
- A new style of EPC, which the government is aiming to introduce from October 2026.
- A higher minimum for rented homes: EPC C or equivalent by 1 October 2030, with a cap of £10,000 on what a landlord has to spend per property.
None of these were law when this page was last reviewed. Check the current position on GOV.UK before planning around a date, and budget for the whole-house EPC now if you let rooms.
Getting an EPC for an HMO
The assessment covers the whole house, so I need access to every room, including the tenants’, plus the loft hatch, the boiler and the meters. Give your tenants a heads up about the visit and tell me the arrangements. A large house takes longer than a flat, and the price is quoted on its size, in writing, before you book.
What I charge
- Domestic EPC — from £59
- EPC + floor plan — from £99, in one visit
- Floor plan only — from £75
Landlords and agents with five or more properties a month get volume rates. Full pricing.
Common questions
Does each room in an HMO need an EPC?
No. A room let with a shared kitchen or bathroom is not a separate home, so it does not need its own EPC.
When does an HMO need an EPC?
When the whole house is sold, or let as a whole, for example to a group of sharers on one joint tenancy. Self-contained flats need their own.
Is the law on HMO EPCs changing?
The government said in March 2026 that it will require a valid EPC for a whole HMO when a single room is let. It was not law when this page was last reviewed, so check GOV.UK for the date.
Does the band E minimum apply to HMOs?
It applies to properties that are legally required to have an EPC, so today it depends on how the house is let. Once a whole-house EPC is required for room lets, the minimum standard follows.
Does the EPC need to cover every room?
Yes. The assessment covers the whole house, so the assessor needs access to every room, including the tenants’.
Where to go next
The minimum standard and exemptions, and what happens when an EPC runs out mid-tenancy.