{
  "licence": "CC BY 4.0, cite Payotte (https://payotte.com/uk/by-nation) with a link",
  "topic": "epc-rules",
  "extracted": "2026-10-14",
  "nations": {
    "england": {
      "needed_to_sell": "yes",
      "validity": "10 years",
      "letting_minimum": "E (cannot let below E without a registered exemption; £3,500 improvement cost cap)",
      "answer": "In England, you need an energy performance certificate before you market a property to sell or rent, and it is valid for 10 years. A landlord generally cannot let a home rated below E without a registered exemption.",
      "note": null,
      "sources": [
        {
          "title": "Energy Performance Certificates for buildings: selling or renting (GOV.UK)",
          "url": "https://www.gov.uk/buy-sell-your-home/energy-performance-certificates"
        },
        {
          "title": "Domestic private rented property: minimum energy efficiency standard, landlord guidance (GOV.UK, updated 5 May 2026)",
          "url": "https://www.gov.uk/guidance/domestic-private-rented-property-minimum-energy-efficiency-standard-landlord-guidance"
        }
      ]
    },
    "scotland": {
      "needed_to_sell": "yes",
      "validity": "10 years",
      "letting_minimum": null,
      "answer": "In Scotland, the EPC is the energy report inside the Home Report, must be provided to the purchaser free of charge, and its rating must appear in the property advertisement. Even where no Home Report is needed, the seller must provide an EPC.",
      "note": "10-year validity is stated generally in the guide, not in the Scotland section; letting minimum not stated (guide says check gov.scot).",
      "sources": [
        {
          "title": "Energy Performance Certificates: buildings for sale (gov.scot)",
          "url": "https://www.gov.scot/publications/energy-performance-certificates-guide/pages/buildings-for-sale/"
        },
        {
          "title": "Home report (mygov.scot)",
          "url": "https://www.mygov.scot/buy-home/home-report"
        }
      ]
    },
    "wales": {
      "needed_to_sell": "yes",
      "validity": "10 years",
      "letting_minimum": "E (rented homes; civil penalty up to £5,000 unless exempt)",
      "answer": "In Wales, rented properties must normally have an EPC rating of E or above, with a civil penalty up to £5,000 unless an exemption applies, according to Rent Smart Wales. An EPC lasts 10 years.",
      "note": "Sale requirement shown as 'Yes (check the Welsh Government)' in the guide; no Welsh sale page was read.",
      "sources": [
        {
          "title": "Energy efficiency regulations for rented homes (Rent Smart Wales)",
          "url": "https://rentsmart.gov.wales/en/news/41/rsw-energy-efficiency-regulations-video-/"
        },
        {
          "title": "Domestic private rented property: minimum energy efficiency standard, landlord guidance (GOV.UK, updated 5 May 2026)",
          "url": "https://www.gov.uk/guidance/domestic-private-rented-property-minimum-energy-efficiency-standard-landlord-guidance"
        }
      ]
    },
    "northern-ireland": {
      "needed_to_sell": "yes",
      "validity": "10 years",
      "letting_minimum": null,
      "answer": "In Northern Ireland, nidirect says an EPC is needed whenever a property is built or marketed for sale or rent, and each EPC is valid for 10 years. District councils enforce it, and the page does not mention a minimum rating for rented homes.",
      "note": "Letting minimum not stated on the nidirect page read.",
      "sources": [
        {
          "title": "Energy performance certificates (nidirect)",
          "url": "https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/articles/energy-performance-certificates"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}