EPCs for
Existing Homes.
Energy Performance Certificates for existing homes: sales, rentals and a baseline for future improvements. Based in Northern Ireland, EBSNI supports homeowners, landlords and agents across the UK. Send your address and preferred date to arrange an assessment.
Houses and self-contained flats
Certificates and recommendations
Location-specific assessment route
Reduced Data Standard Assessment Procedure
What Is an EPC?
An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) records a home’s assessed energy performance and includes recommendations for improvement. RdSAP means Reduced Data Standard Assessment Procedure: the methodology commonly used for existing UK dwellings.
The assessor surveys the property’s dimensions, construction, insulation, glazing, heating, hot water and other relevant features. The rating uses standard assumptions, so it is not a prediction of your household’s actual energy bills.
EBSNI provides existing-home assessments for sales, lettings and retrofit baselines. New dwellings and some conversions need a different assessment route; we confirm the appropriate service before booking.
Existing-Home Energy Ratings
Across the UK & Ireland.
Arrange an assessment early if you are preparing to sell or let. EPC requirements, exemptions and registration arrangements depend on the property’s location. The Republic of Ireland uses BERs rather than UK EPCs.
Northern Ireland
In Northern Ireland, an EPC is generally required before an existing home is marketed for sale or rent, unless an exemption applies.
RdSAP is the assessment route for existing dwellings. Tell us the address, property type and marketing date when you enquire.
England & Wales
Existing homes being sold or let in England and Wales generally require an EPC, subject to exemptions. Commission the certificate before marketing if no valid EPC is available.
Rental energy efficiency obligations are separate from obtaining the certificate. Requirements should be checked for the property and tenancy.
Scotland
Scotland has its own EPC requirements and registration arrangements. For many home sales, the EPC is included within the Home Report.
Let us know whether the assessment is for a sale, letting or improvement project so we can confirm the appropriate Scottish route and availability.
Republic of Ireland
Existing homes in the Republic of Ireland follow the Building Energy Rating (BER) system, using DEAP rather than RdSAP.
For a property in the Republic of Ireland, use our BER service. Explore BER Assessments →
An existing-home EPC is an energy assessment, not a structural survey, a Building Control approval or a full retrofit assessment. We confirm the applicable assessment route and booking availability at enquiry stage.
Planning Improvements?
Start with the Existing Home.
An EPC can provide a useful baseline before you improve an existing property. Recording the current construction and services helps identify the recommendations produced by the assessment.
If you are planning an extension, conversion or wider renovation, tell us before the visit. Design-stage SAP calculations or a separate retrofit assessment may be needed alongside the existing-home EPC.
From Booking
to Certificate.
A straightforward process: confirm the property details, arrange access, complete the survey and issue the EPC once the assessment and evidence checks are complete.
Confirm Your Property
Send the address, property type, reason for the EPC and preferred date. We confirm the scope, quote and appointment availability.
→Assess the Home
The assessor records the dimensions, construction and relevant energy features, with access to rooms, services and safely accessible loft areas.
→Review the Evidence
Survey findings and acceptable documents are used in the applicable assessment software. Where evidence is unavailable, methodology conventions apply.
→Receive Your EPC
Once the checks are complete, the EPC is lodged on the appropriate register and supplied with its recommendations.
✓Getting Ready
for Your Visit.
A little preparation makes the survey easier. You do not need a full drawing pack, but clear access and records of previous improvements can help the assessor record the property accurately.
Common Questions.
When do I need an EPC for an existing home?
An EPC is generally required when an existing home is sold or let, subject to local rules and exemptions. Check whether a valid certificate already exists and arrange the assessment early. Scotland has separate arrangements, including the Home Report for many sales.
What happens during the survey?
The assessor records dimensions, construction, insulation, windows, heating, hot water and other relevant energy features. Access is needed throughout the dwelling and to safely accessible loft and service areas. The visit is an energy survey, not a structural inspection.
Do I need drawings or insulation certificates?
Detailed drawings are not usually essential for a standard existing-home survey. Available insulation records, installation certificates and product information can help support the assessment. Only evidence acceptable under the methodology can be used; assumptions apply where information cannot be established.
Is an EPC a pass or fail?
The EPC records the assessed energy performance and recommendations. It does not itself approve a letting or guarantee that a property meets every legal requirement. Any rental energy efficiency obligations must be considered separately for the relevant jurisdiction.
Can an EPC be used as a retrofit assessment?
An EPC can provide an energy baseline and improvement recommendations, but it is not a full retrofit assessment or a detailed design for insulation, heating or ventilation work. More extensive improvements may require separate surveys, design and coordination.
How soon can I book and receive the certificate?
Send the address, property type and your required date. We confirm appointment availability, expected visit duration and the certificate issue timescale before booking. Completion depends on access, satisfactory survey information and any supporting evidence required.
An Existing Home.
A Clear Starting Point.
For a homeowner preparing to sell or let, the survey records the property as it stands. The resulting EPC provides its assessed energy performance and recommendations. For improvement projects, it can be the starting point for more detailed advice.
Book an EPCBook Your Existing-Home EPC
Send your property address, postcode and preferred date. We will confirm the quote and appointment availability. Part of the Newell Group.
