Is an EPC rating of D good?
A D rating is about average, not good. Of certificates for existing homes put up for sale in England and Wales from October 2024 to September 2026, 38% were D and 52% were C or better.
D covers scores from 55 to 68, and 97% of D-rated homes could reach C or better if every improvement on their certificate were made. How we counted.
Where D sits on the scale
An energy certificate gives a home a score, usually between 1 and 100, and a band from A to G. The higher the score, the cheaper the home should be to heat and light.
| Band | Score | Share of homes for sale |
|---|---|---|
| A | 92 or more | |
| B | 81 to 91 | |
| C | 69 to 80 | |
| D | 55 to 68 | |
| E | 39 to 54 | |
| F | 21 to 38 | |
| G | 1 to 20 |
Score ranges from the ONS. Shares worked out by UK Property Check from 1,446,763 certificates lodged for existing homes being marketed for sale in England and Wales between 1 October 2024 and 30 September 2026.
Below D, 10% of those homes were rated E, F or G.
The ONS found a similar picture across all homes with certificates. The median score was 69 in England, the bottom of band C, and 68 in Wales, the top of band D.
Flats and maisonettes scored a median of 74, and homes built after 2012 a median of 84. These ONS figures cover certificates from April 2015 to March 2025.
The ONS has since stopped the series. MHCLG has announced that it will continue it, starting on 29 October 2026.
Ratings vary by area. In PL26 (St Austell), 46% of the homes put up for sale over the same period were rated E, F or G, against 10% across England and Wales.
Our council pages, such as Cornwall, list every postcode district in the area, and each district page shows its own ratings.
What a D rating means for running costs
Each certificate estimates what the home would cost a year to heat, provide hot water and light. These are not anyone's actual bills, which depend on the household, the tariff and how the heating is used.
The estimates use the fuel prices built into the assessment method and a standard pattern of use, so they may differ from today's tariffs.
BRE says the full method averages its prices over the previous three years, and the version for existing homes uses its own price table. The estimates are still useful for comparing one home with another.
| Band | Houses, a year | Houses, per m² | Flats, a year | Flats, per m² |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| C | £1,060 | £11.60 | £720 | £12.53 |
| D | £1,427 | £15.32 | £1,113 | £18.69 |
| E | £2,167 | £20.49 | £1,726 | £31.58 |
| F | £3,096 | £31.26 | £2,432 | £42.35 |
Medians worked out by UK Property Check from the same certificates. Houses include bungalows, and flats include maisonettes. Estimates use the fuel prices built into the assessment method.
The assessment method changed to RdSAP 10 in June 2025, part way through the period, so treat the costs as a rough guide.
Bigger homes cost more to run whatever their band, so cost per square metre is the fairer comparison. On that measure, D-rated houses were estimated to cost about 32% more to run than C-rated houses.
Sale prices do not show a home's rating, so allow for it yourself when you work out how much to offer.
What the certificate cannot tell you
A certificate describes how the home was built and equipped on the day of the assessment. Government guidance says it does not comment on the safety or maintenance of the heating or other services.
The condition of the building is a matter for a survey. See which survey you need.
A certificate is valid for 10 years, so the one you see may be several years old. A new boiler, insulation or an extension since then will not show until a new certificate is made.
After an extension the floor area will be out of date too, which matters when you work out the home's price per square metre.
Our viewing checklist covers what to look at in the home itself, such as the boiler, the windows and signs of damp.
Can a D-rated home be improved?
Usually, yes. Each certificate lists improvements with an indicative cost, and the rating the home could reach if they were all made.
Of the D-rated homes in our figures, 97% had a potential rating of C or better. The median potential gain was 14 points.
The list is specific to each home. It can include insulation, heating upgrades, better windows and solar panels. Check what the certificate suggests, and whether any of it has been done since.
If you want to replace a gas boiler with a heat pump, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme currently offers £7,500 towards an air source or ground source heat pump, or £2,500 towards an air-to-air heat pump, in England and Wales.
For a home heated by oil or LPG with no mains gas, GOV.UK says there is an extra £1,500 towards an air source or ground source heat pump until March 2027.
If you plan to let the home
Privately rented homes in England and Wales must currently have a rating of at least E.
In January 2026 the government said it will raise the minimum to the equivalent of C, with a single compliance date of 1 October 2030. It plans to cap what a landlord must spend at £10,000 per home, with some exemptions.
To make the change, the government said it will first take new powers through an Act of Parliament, then make regulations, which it aims to bring into force in 2027. The new minimum was not law on 19 October 2026.
Our reading of the plans, which could still change: a D-rated home bought to let would need work by 2030, unless an exemption applies.
Changes coming to energy certificates
In its partial response of 21 January 2026, the government confirmed that new certificates for homes will have four headline measures: energy cost, fabric performance, heating system and smart readiness.
The same response says existing certificates will keep their 10-year validity, and the government intends new ones to last 10 years too. On 9 March 2026 the government moved the launch of the new certificates to the second half of 2027.
It said it would agree a new launch date by the summer of 2026. We could not find one on GOV.UK on 19 October 2026.
Ask the agent
- When was the energy certificate done, and has any work been done since?
- Which of the recommended improvements have been made?
- What were the gas and electricity bills over the last 12 months?
- How old is the boiler, and when was it last serviced?
Related questions
How long is an energy certificate valid for?
Ten years. A seller can use a certificate made up to ten years ago, so it may not reflect work done since. Check its date on the register.
Can I see the energy certificate for a house I am viewing?
Usually. Certificates are public unless the owner has opted out. You can search the register by postcode on GOV.UK, or use our free check, which shows the rating, floor area and age band for the home.
Is a house rated D worse to live in than one rated C?
Not necessarily. The rating assumes a standard pattern of heating, so homes with the same rating can feel very different because of draughts, damp and how the heating is run. Ask for the actual bills.
Sources
- ONS, Energy efficiency of housing in England and Wales: 2025
- GOV.UK, Energy performance certificates when buying or selling
- MHCLG, A guide to energy performance certificates for the marketing, sale and let of dwellings
- MHCLG, Energy certificate data dictionary
- GOV.UK, Reforms to the Energy Performance of Buildings regime: partial government response, 21 January 2026
- GOV.UK, Reforms to the energy performance of buildings regime (consultation outcome, updated 9 March 2026)
- GOV.UK, Private rented property minimum energy efficiency standard
- GOV.UK, Improving the energy performance of privately rented homes: 2025 update (outcome, 21 January 2026)
- GOV.UK, Boiler Upgrade Scheme: what you can get
- GOV.UK, Apply for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme
- MHCLG, Energy performance of new and existing dwellings in England and Wales: annual 2026 (release announcement)
- BRE, SAP 10 frequently asked questions
- GOV.UK, Energy performance of buildings certificates statistical release, April to June 2025