Doesn’t every EPC have recommendations already?
Yes, and you get them either way. They are worked out by the government’s
method from the data recorded at the visit, so they can suggest something that is
technically possible but makes little sense for your building, such as solid wall
insulation in a flat with nowhere to put it. They also come as a list, with no view
on which to do first.
The plan is the conversation that list is missing. It puts the measures in order
for your home and says where to start, written by the assessor who has been in every
room.
Who it is for
Landlords close to the line
A rented home has to be band E or above today, and the government has decided on a
higher standard for 2030. If your rating is near either line, the plan shows how far
you have to go and which improvements would lift it.
What the 2030 standard means for landlords sets out
what has been decided and what still needs Parliament.
Owners planning work
Replacing a boiler, boarding a loft or fitting new windows? Better to know which
changes would raise the rating before the builders arrive than afterwards.
Anyone surprised by the score
Often the gap between the rating people expected and the one they got comes down to
something that could not be seen or proved on the day. If insulation cannot be
verified, the method records the worst reasonable case for the home’s age and
construction, which is why paperwork for work already done is worth finding before
the visit. If you think a certificate is simply wrong, that is a different question:
how to challenge an EPC.
What it is not
- A quote for building work. It tells you what is worth asking an
installer about. The installer prices the job, and for some measures, such as cavity
wall insulation, carries out their own survey first.
- A promise of a rating. After any work, the rating is whatever a
new assessment finds. The plan shows the direction of travel, not a guaranteed
letter.
- A separate certificate. Only the EPC goes on the government
register. The plan is yours to keep and use.
Want it without an EPC?
You can have the same survey and the same written plan with nothing lodged on the
register, from £89 by the size of the home. That suits anyone who wants to know
where they stand before a rating becomes public. It is not an EPC, so it cannot be
used to sell or let.
The plan on its own explains how it works, including
lodging the EPC later.
How to add it
Tick Add an Improvement Plan? when you ask for a
quote, or mention it when you call or message. It is never ticked for you. The
guide price on the form includes it as soon as you tick it, and the written quote
confirms it before anything is booked.
If you would rather start with the basics, how
to improve your EPC rating covers the measures that usually come first.
Common questions
How much does an EPC Improvement Plan cost?
£30 on top of the EPC, for each home. On its own, with nothing lodged on the register, it is from £89 by the size of the home.
When do I get the Improvement Plan?
It is emailed within 72 hours of the visit. It comes from the same survey as the
EPC, so there is no second appointment.
Will the plan guarantee a better EPC rating?
No. It sets out why the home scores what it does and which changes would lift it,
but after any work the rating is whatever a new assessment finds.
Is it worth it if my EPC already lists recommendations?
The recommendations on the certificate come as a list generated from the assessment
data. The plan puts them in order for your home and says where to start, written by
the assessor who surveyed it.
Can I get the Improvement Plan without an EPC?
Yes. It is the same survey and plan with nothing lodged, from £89 by the size
of the home. It is not an EPC, so it cannot be used to sell or let.
Where to go next
All prices, the plan on its
own, and what the numbers on your EPC
mean.
