What Is a Good EPC Rating? A Berkshire Homeowner’s Guide for 2026
Written by the Frank EPC team of accredited Domestic Energy Assessors (DEAs). Last updated August 2026.
The short answer
A good EPC rating is band C or above, which means a score of 69 or higher on the 1 to 100 energy efficiency scale. Band B (81 to 91) is excellent and band A (92 to 100) is rare in ordinary housing stock. Band D (55 to 68) is the classic older British home and is not a disaster, but it does sit below the standard the government wants every rented property to hit by 2030. Anything at E, F or G is considered poor and will start to cause problems when you sell or let. For context, the median EPC score for homes in England is 69, which lands right on the bottom edge of band C.
If you want to know exactly where your home sits, Frank EPC provides accredited assessments across the county. You can book an EPC in Berkshire online in a couple of minutes.
What do EPC ratings actually mean?
Every Energy Performance Certificate gives your home two things: a letter band from A to G, and a numerical score from 1 to 100. The letter is just a bucket that the number falls into. Higher score, better band, lower predicted running costs.
Here is the full scale, with what each band tends to look like in practice.
| Band | Score | What it means | Typical Berkshire property |
|---|---|---|---|
| A | 92 to 100 | Exceptional. Very low running costs | New build with heat pump and solar |
| B | 81 to 91 | Excellent. Little left to improve | Recent new build or heavily retrofitted home |
| C | 69 to 80 | Good. The current national target | Modern estate house, well insulated 1990s home |
| D | 55 to 68 | Average. Room for improvement | Typical 1930s to 1980s semi or terrace |
| E | 39 to 54 | Below average. Legal minimum for lettings | Older solid wall home, uninsulated loft |
| F | 21 to 38 | Poor. Expensive to run | Period property with electric heating |
| G | 1 to 20 | Very poor. Cannot legally be let | Off grid or long neglected property |
The score is produced using the government approved RdSAP methodology, which models your home rather than metering it. That matters, and we explain why further down.
What is a good EPC rating in 2026?
In 2026 the honest benchmark is band C. It is the level the government has set for the private rented sector by 2030, it is the most common single band in England, and it is the point at which buyers stop raising an eyebrow.
Think of it in three tiers:
- C or above. Good. No red flags on a sale, compliant with the incoming rental standard, sensible running costs.
- D. Average and very common. Perfectly saleable, but worth improving if you are letting the property or plan to hold it long term.
- E, F or G. Poor. E is currently the legal floor for rentals, and F or G cannot be let at all without a registered exemption.
What is the average EPC rating in the UK?
This is where a lot of homeowners are pleasantly surprised. The picture has shifted quickly.
According to the English Housing Survey, the average SAP score for English dwellings reached 68 in 2024, up from 45 in 1996. That score sits at the very top of band D, one single point away from a C. Band C is now the most common individual band at 52 percent of homes, with band D second at 35 percent, and more than half of all English dwellings (56 percent) now sit in bands A to C.
The ONS puts the median EPC score for England at 69, which is band C, based on certificates lodged in the ten years to March 2025.
So if your home came back as a D, you are in extremely normal company. And if you scored 66 or 67, you are genuinely a couple of cheap improvements away from a better letter on the certificate.
Is a D EPC rating bad?
No. A D is average, not bad. Most Berkshire homes built before the 1990s land there, because solid or partially filled walls and older heating systems drag the score down no matter how well the house is looked after.
A D becomes a problem in two specific situations. First, if you rent the property out, because the minimum standard is moving to C by 2030. Second, if you are selling into a market where buyers are actively comparing running costs, which is increasingly the case as energy bills stay high.
For an owner occupier with no plans to move or let, a D is simply information about where your money is going.
What is a good EPC rating for a rental property?
Different rules, higher bar. Under the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES), the current legal minimum for a private rented property in England and Wales is band E. Letting a property below that without a registered exemption is unlawful.
That floor is rising. The government has confirmed that privately rented homes in England and Wales will need to reach EPC band C, with the requirement applying to all private tenancies from 1 October 2030. There is a cost cap of £10,000 per property (or 10 percent of its value, whichever is lower), and landlords who cannot reach C after spending up to that cap can register a cost cap exemption.
If you are a Berkshire landlord sitting on a D, the practical advice is to get a current EPC now rather than in 2029. Knowing your exact score tells you whether you need £500 of loft insulation or a £6,000 heating upgrade, and gives you four years to spread the cost instead of joining the rush.
Does a good EPC rating add value to your home?
Some, but be careful with the numbers you see quoted online. The research genuinely disagrees.
| Source | Reported effect |
|---|---|
| Nationwide House Price Index analysis | A or B rated homes attract around a 1.7 percent premium over a similar D |
| Oxford Economics | Roughly a 0.5 percent premium for C over D |
| Estate agent and government cited research | Commonly quoted as 3 to 5 percent for a D to C upgrade |
Our take, from doing this every day across Berkshire: the reliable benefit is speed and negotiating position rather than a guaranteed price bump. A buyer looking at two similar semis in Wokingham will use a poor EPC as a lever on price. A clean C removes that lever. And a certificate that clearly shows low predicted running costs is a genuine selling point when bills are front of mind.
How is your EPC rating worked out?
Worth understanding, because it explains most of the surprises. Your rating is modelled, not measured. A Domestic Energy Assessor visits, records the physical facts about your home, and feeds them into the RdSAP calculation. It does not matter how frugal you are with the thermostat. The score reflects the building, not the behaviour.
The assessor records things like:
- Floor area and the construction type of the walls
- Loft, wall and hot water cylinder insulation where visible
- The heating system, boiler, controls and radiators
- Glazing type and age
- The proportion of low energy light fittings
Because it is non invasive, anything the assessor cannot see is handled with standard assumptions, which usually count against you. If you have had cavity wall insulation or underfloor insulation installed, dig out the paperwork and show it on the day. Undocumented improvements are the single most common reason a home scores lower than the owner expected. The whole visit takes about 30 to 60 minutes, and our guide on how long an EPC takes walks through the process step by step.
Are EPC ratings changing?
Yes, eventually. The government has confirmed a reform of the Energy Performance of Buildings regime that will replace the single A to G headline with several separate metrics, covering fabric performance, the heating system, energy cost and smart readiness, calculated using the new Home Energy Model rather than SAP and RdSAP.
The timing has moved more than once, with the launch now expected later than the originally proposed October 2026 date and the confirmed date still being finalised. Treat any specific date you read online with caution and check the GOV.UK guidance directly.
What has not changed is the practical position today. EPCs issued under the current system remain valid for 10 years from the date of issue, and a band C certificate obtained before the new system goes live will still be recognised until it expires. In other words, getting an EPC now is not wasted money.
What to do if your EPC rating is lower than you hoped
Do not panic, and do not immediately reach for a new boiler. The cheapest points on an EPC are almost always insulation and lighting, not heating plant. Topping up loft insulation to 270mm, insulating the hot water cylinder, swapping remaining halogens for LEDs and adding heating controls are all modest jobs that move the score meaningfully.
If you are close to a band boundary, the maths really is worth doing. Going from 67 to 69 costs very little and changes the letter on your certificate. Our full guide on how to improve your EPC rating sets out which measures give the best return, roughly what each costs and how many points they typically add.
How to check or get your EPC rating in Berkshire
Start with the free check. Search your postcode on the government Find an Energy Certificate register. If a valid certificate appears, your rating is right there and you do not need to pay for a new one. Certificates last 10 years, so a lot of homeowners already have one without realising it. Our guide on how long an EPC lasts covers exactly when a fresh assessment is required.
If your certificate has expired, or the property has never had one, book an assessment. Wondering about the fee first? Our Berkshire EPC price guide breaks down typical 2026 costs by property type.
Frank EPC covers Reading, Bracknell, Slough, Windsor, Wokingham, Maidenhead and the wider county, with many certificates produced same day or next working day. You can book an accredited EPC assessment online, or if you are local to us, go straight to our EPC Bracknell page.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good EPC rating? A good EPC rating is band C or above, meaning a score of 69 or higher out of 100. Band B is excellent and band A is rare in existing homes. Band D is average, and E, F or G are considered poor.
What is a bad EPC rating? Bands E, F and G are poor. E is currently the legal minimum for letting a property in England and Wales, and F or G rated homes cannot legally be let without a registered exemption.
What is the average EPC rating in the UK? The average SAP score for English homes was 68 in 2024, sitting at the top of band D. Band C is now the most common single band at 52 percent of homes, and 56 percent of homes are rated A to C.
Is EPC band C good? Yes. Band C is the government’s target standard for privately rented homes by 2030 and is regarded as a good rating for an existing property.
What EPC rating do I need to rent out a property? The current legal minimum is band E. Privately rented properties in England and Wales will need to reach band C, applying to all private tenancies from 1 October 2030, subject to a £10,000 cost cap and available exemptions.
Does an EPC rating affect house price? Research disagrees on the size of the effect, with estimates ranging from around 0.5 percent to 5 percent for a D to C upgrade. The more consistent benefit is a stronger negotiating position and fewer objections from buyers.
How do I find my EPC rating? Search your postcode for free on the GOV.UK Find an Energy Certificate register. If no valid certificate appears, you will need a new assessment from an accredited Domestic Energy Assessor.