02 / ENERGY
EPC upgrades.
Know where you stand, then get it done.
We help letting agents and landlords understand their properties’ current EPC ratings, identify practical improvements and coordinate the works. From an initial portfolio review to assessor-led recommendations and a new EPC, ARK manages the process through one point of contact.
At a glance
- The deadline
- Privately rented homes in England must reach EPC C by 1 October 2030
- Why act now
- A C achieved under today’s EPC method before 1 October 2029 remains valid until that certificate expires
- Our approach
- Screen the portfolio → assessor review → targeted works → new EPC lodged
- Typical measures
- Loft and cavity insulation, heating controls, LED lighting, electric heating upgrades, solar PV
- Investment cap
- Under the planned rules, £10,000 per property; where C still isn’t reached after that spend, a ten-year exemption can be registered
WHAT’S INCLUDED
EPC upgrades: what we do.
Portfolio screening
We take your property list, pull the published EPC data, and flag ratings, expiry dates and the properties that need work — a clear picture before anyone spends money.
Assessor-led upgrade plan
A domestic energy assessor reviews each flagged property and models which measures will actually move the rating, and at what cost, before works are recommended.
Coordinated works
Insulation, heating controls, lighting, ventilation, electric heating and solar PV delivered through one contractor and one invoice, with access arranged by our office.
Reassessment and lodging
A new EPC lodged on completion, so the improvement is on the register and the property is compliant on paper as well as in fact.
Exemptions, properly evidenced
Where a property genuinely cannot reach the standard, we assemble the assessment and quotes needed to support an exemption on the PRS Exemptions Register.
Landlord-ready reporting
A short report per property for you to put in front of the landlord: current rating, recommended measures, cost, projected rating and timescale.
WHAT YOU RECEIVE
A report per property, written for the landlord.
After the assessor’s visit you get a short report for each property: where it stands now, what we recommend, what each measure is likely to cost and do to the rating, and the projected outcome. Here is what one looks like.
Illustrative example for a three-bedroom 1960s semi-detached house. Costs are typical ranges; your report carries the assessor’s figures for the actual property, and rating effects are confirmed by the assessor before works are agreed.
| Recommended measure | Est. cost | Rating effect |
|---|---|---|
| Loft insulation top-up to 270mm | £400–£600 | +3 |
| Cavity wall insulation | £900–£1,400 | +6 |
| Heating controls — smart thermostat and TRVs | £350–£500 | +1 |
| LED lighting throughout | £150–£250 | +1 |
| Solar PV, 3.6 kWp (optional — would lift the projected rating to C 77) | £5,000–£6,500 | +8 |
| Recommended route to C (without solar) | £1,800–£2,750 | D 58 → C 69 |
HOW IT WORKS
From instruction to paperwork, in four steps.
01
Send us the portfolio
A spreadsheet of addresses is enough. One property works the same way.
02
Screening report
Within a few days you have the ratings, expiry dates and a shortlist of properties that need attention.
03
Assessor visit and plan
For each shortlisted property, an assessor confirms the practical options and the projected rating for each.
04
Works and a new EPC
Once the landlord approves, we book and deliver the works and lodge the new certificate.
THE RULES
Where the rules stand
Government response: Improving the energy performance of privately rented homes (2026). Summary correct at October 2026 — always check the current guidance: read the government guidance ↗
- EPC C by 1 October 2030. Under the planned rules, all privately rented homes in England must meet the EPC C-equivalent standard by 1 October 2030: a fabric performance standard, plus either the heating-system or the smart-readiness standard.
- The 2029 carve-out. A property rated C or above under the current energy-efficiency rating before 1 October 2029 is treated as compliant until that EPC expires or is replaced — which is why upgrades done now, on today’s method, are the simplest route.
- Investment cap and exemptions. Landlords are not expected to spend without limit. The planned cap is £10,000 per property (10% of value for homes worth under £100,000). Where a property still falls short after that spend, a cost-cap exemption lasting ten years can be registered; further exemptions apply where works are not technically feasible or consent is refused.
- New EPCs are changing. The reformed domestic EPC, built on the Home Energy Model, is now planned for the second half of 2027. Waiting for it does not make the target easier to reach.
- Minimum E still applies today. The existing minimum of EPC E has applied to all private tenancies since April 2020, and remains in force in the meantime.
WHY ARK
What you get from us that you might not elsewhere.
Every trade under one roof
Electricians, gas and heating engineers, ventilation specialists and plumbers already on the team — so a plan that mixes insulation, heating and electrics has one point of contact.
Advice before spending
The assessor step comes before any quote for works. You and the landlord see what each measure is projected to do to the rating before committing.
Built for agents’ workflows
One screening report for the branch, one summary per landlord, access arranged with tenants by our office, and works sequenced so a property is not disrupted twice.
QUESTIONS WE’RE ASKED
Frequently asked questions.
Why not wait for the new EPC methodology?
Because a C achieved on today’s method before 1 October 2029 counts until that certificate expires, and the reformed EPC is not now expected until the second half of 2027 — and is not expected to make the standard easier. Acting now gives certainty; waiting gives a later, less predictable target.
What will it cost per property?
It varies enormously, which is why we screen and assess before quoting. Many D-rated homes reach C with insulation top-ups, heating controls and lighting; older E–G properties with electric heating need more. The assessor’s plan shows the cost against the projected rating for each measure.
Does solar PV improve the rating?
Yes — solar PV improves the current EPC score. How much depends on the property and the proposed system, so the assessor checks whether it will be enough to achieve EPC C before any works are agreed. It is often the measure that takes a borderline property over the line, but it is not assumed.
What if the property cannot reach C?
The planned rules cap the required spend at £10,000 per property (10% of value for homes under £100,000). If the property still falls short after that, a ten-year cost-cap exemption can be registered; other exemptions cover works that are not technically feasible or where consent is refused. We assemble the evidence — assessment, quotes and reasoning — needed to register one.
Who instructs and pays?
As with our other services, works are instructed care of the agent with the landlord as the customer. We quote per property so the landlord can approve in writing.
Can you do just the screening?
Yes. Many branches start with the screening report alone to brief landlords, and move to the assessor stage only where there is appetite to proceed.
SEND US A JOB
Want to know where your properties stand?
Send us one address or a whole portfolio list. We’ll come back with the current ratings, what each property is likely to need, and a plan for getting there — through one point of contact.