Published by Gbaf News
Posted on September 19, 2018
4 min readLast updated: January 21, 2026
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When attempting to sell your property, you want to do everything you can to make it an attractive purchase.
A new coat of paint, making repairs and tidying up are all usually on the list, but have you considered improving your energy rating? MoneySuperMarket has found that upgrading your Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) – the government’s rating of a property’s energy efficiency – from an average D to a high end A can have massive financial benefits.
The research explores different locations in the UK and how changes to your EPC affect the price of local properties. An EPC incorporates the type and layout of the building, any heating, cooling, ventilation and hot water systems used, and the lighting. The startling results show that an increase from the lowest rating, G, to as little as F can have a six per cent price increase on average – while raising it to an A or B can give a 14 per cent boost to your potential sale price[i].
Regional Improvements
The differences in price vary across the UK, meaning that although properties in the North East could see benefits of up to 38 per cent by increasing their EPC from a G rating to an A or B, those in the South East will see none at all[ii]. Cities that could benefit the most include:
Improve your EPC Rating
In order to access these increases to your property value – and even save money on a property you’re holding onto – you need to know how to improve your EPC rating. Here are some suggestions on where to start looking to make the most of your energy:
Stephen Murray, energy expert at MoneySuperMarket, said: “Improving your energy rating can significantly increase your sale price for a relatively low cost. But it’s also valuable for other homeowners who aren’t planning to sell their properties, as a higher energy rating means greater home efficiency and reduced energy bills.
“With relatively simple changes such as insulation, lagging pipes and 6energy efficient light bulbs, you can not only increase your property price for sale, but also reduce your energy bills while you live in it. Those looking to stay for a longer time will see greater benefits from investing in insulation, or in renewable energy sources such as solar panels and biomass boilers. We fully recommend looking into all the ways to increase your EPC and then getting an updated certificate to reflect the improvements.”
To find out more ways to improve your energy rating and to see how it affects house prices across the country, have a look at the full graphic on the MoneySuperMarket site here.
[i]https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/an-investigation-of-the-effect-of-epc-ratings-on-house-prices
[ii]https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/an-investigation-of-the-effect-of-epc-ratings-on-house-prices
[iii]Property price data sourced from https://www.rightmove.co.uk
[iv]Data provided by MoneySuperMarket 2018.
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