Estate and letting agents are not legally responsible for obtaining a client's EPC. That duty sits with the seller or landlord. But agents do have their own duty to show the EPC rating in every advertisement, and the agents who explain EPCs clearly tend to list faster, avoid compliance headaches, and keep clients coming back.
This guide covers whose job the EPC is, what the rules say, and how to handle the questions vendors and landlords ask most.
Whose responsibility is the EPC, the agent or the client?
The property owner is responsible for having a valid EPC. When a home is sold or let, that means the seller or landlord. For a new-build, the builder must provide one to the owner within five days of completion. You do not have to commission the certificate as the agent, but you do have a separate legal duty to include the EPC rating in your marketing.
In practice, many agents arrange the EPC on a client's behalf to keep things moving. That is a helpful service, not a transfer of legal responsibility. It is worth agreeing at instruction who is booking the assessment, so nothing falls between the cracks.
Do you need an EPC before you can list a property?
You need one commissioned, not in hand. An EPC must be booked in with an accredited assessor before the property goes on the market, but the certificate itself can follow. Once marketing starts, it must be produced within 28 days, and the energy rating must appear in your advertising. Trading Standards can fine an agent £200 per advertisement for a breach, and the seller or landlord keeps their own separate liability, so "my agent handles it" is not a defence.
A few practical points worth knowing:
As the agent, satisfy yourself the EPC has been commissioned before the listing goes live, and keep proof of the booking in case an enforcement officer asks.
The 28-day window breaks down as 7 days of reasonable effort to obtain the certificate, plus a further 21. Portals such as Rightmove reflect this in practice, and will usually let a listing run for around 28 days before removing it if no EPC appears.
Check the national EPC register first, in case a valid certificate already exists and a new one is not needed.
For commercial premises the penalty is different: 12.5% of the property's rateable value, with a default of £750 where that cannot be calculated.
One change worth watching: the government has confirmed it intends to remove the 28-day window from around October 2026, so that an EPC would need to be in place at the point of marketing rather than produced afterwards. Treat this as coming rather than settled, and check the current position before relying on the grace period.
How does an EPC rating affect a sale or a let?
The rating shapes buyer and tenant interest, running-cost expectations, and mortgage options. Buyers increasingly factor energy bills into their offers, and a number of lenders now reward higher-rated homes with preferential green mortgage rates or cashback. For lettings, a property must currently reach at least an E to be let legally, with tighter standards on the way.
A weak rating does not block a sale, but it can affect price and how quickly a property moves. Being ready to talk through the rating, rather than glossing over it, tends to build more trust with a cautious buyer than staying quiet.
What should you tell a vendor with a low rating?
Reassure them first. There is no minimum EPC rating to sell a home, so a low score does not stop the sale. Then be practical. Small changes such as LED lighting, a loft insulation top-up, and better heating controls can lift a band cheaply, and sometimes a data review corrects missing information and raises the score with no physical work at all.
If the current EPC is old or predates improvements the owner has made, a fresh assessment can be worth it. A better rating is a genuine selling point, and it gives you something positive to put in the listing.
What should you tell a landlord about the 2030 deadline?
All privately rented homes in England and Wales must reach EPC C by 1 October 2030, unless a valid exemption applies. This forms part of the government's Warm Homes Plan. Acting early matters, because an EPC C achieved under the current method before the new assessment system becomes compulsory is treated as compliant until that certificate expires.
Landlords who wait risk a scramble for assessors and contractors as the deadline nears. Agents who raise this now, calmly and accurately, become the person a landlord trusts with their portfolio. There is a spending cap and an exemptions process behind the headline, so point landlords toward proper advice rather than trying to cover every detail in a viewing.
When does a client need a new EPC?
An EPC lasts ten years, so most clients do not need a new one for each sale or tenancy. They should renew sooner in three situations: if the certificate has expired, if they have made energy improvements they want reflected in the rating, or if the property has been extended or converted in a way that changes its energy performance.
How a reliable local assessor makes these conversations easier
The agents we work with across Hull and East Yorkshire tend to keep one trusted assessor on speed dial, so a listing is never held up waiting for paperwork. Fast, same-day EPCs, floor plans, and data reviews from one local team mean you can promise a client a quick, tidy process and then actually deliver it. When a certificate lands the same day, a property goes live sooner, and that reflects well on you.
FAQs: EPCs for estate and letting agents
Do estate agents provide the EPC, or does the seller?
The seller is legally responsible for having a valid EPC. Many agents arrange it on the seller's behalf to keep the sale moving, but that is a convenience rather than a legal duty. The agent's own legal duty is to show the EPC rating in all marketing.
Can an agent be fined for a missing EPC?
Yes. Trading Standards can issue a £200 penalty per advertisement to an agent who markets a property without displaying the EPC rating. The seller or landlord can be penalised separately, so both parties carry risk on the same property.
How quickly can an EPC be arranged?
Often within a day. A domestic assessment usually takes around 30 to 60 minutes, and the certificate can be lodged and returned quickly afterwards. Same-day and express options exist, which helps when a listing is ready to go live.
Does a low EPC rating stop a property selling?
No. There is no minimum rating to sell a home, so a property can be marketed at any band. A low rating may affect price or buyer interest, but it does not block the sale. Lettings are different, as a minimum E currently applies.
Do landlords need a new EPC for every tenancy?
No. An EPC is valid for ten years and can be used for multiple tenancies in that period. A new one is only needed once it expires, after significant energy improvements, or after works that change the property's energy performance.
The takeaway for agents
The EPC is the client's legal responsibility, but the conversation is usually yours. Agents who can answer these questions clearly, and who have a fast, accredited local assessor to call on, keep listings moving and give vendors and landlords one less thing to worry about. That is what turns a routine certificate into a reason clients come back and recommend you.
Work with a local EPC partner
EPC247 is a family-run, Hull-based team with over ten years in the local property market and accredited, insured assessors. We work alongside estate and letting agents across Yorkshire and Humber, providing fast domestic and commercial EPCs, floor plans, and inventories, often same-day. If you would like a reliable EPC partner for your listings, get in touch and we will set up an arrangement that suits how you work.
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