The Scottish government launched a consultation in 2023 covering the design and content of Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) in Scotland, and is expected to report on its findings towards the end of 20241. The consultation sits alongside separate UK government work on EPC reform, which has not yet been scheduled1.
EPCs were introduced gradually for properties starting in 2008 and are legally required when selling a home1. They are used to compare the energy costs of different properties, to give owner-occupiers advice on improvements, and to provide landlords with evidence of eligibility to rent out a property or access grants and financial products1. The content and design of the EPC in England and Wales is different from the EPC in Scotland1.
The case for reform rests partly on consumer research. A Which? study found that only 3 out of 11 households who had an EPC assessment would recommend it to others, indicating a low perceived value1. Another study cross-referenced EPCs with other data sets and found that one in four EPCs have discrepancies of more than 10% when reporting the property's floor area1. EPCs are currently valid for 10 years, which means they are often outdated1.
Which? set out six principles for improving EPC content and design, including that certificates should be accessible, useful, relevant, integrated, accurate and up to date1. Its recommendations include reducing the validity of EPCs to five years and making it easier for consumers to update an EPC by submitting evidence of improvements made by certified traders1.
"In 2023 the Scottish government launched a consultation covering the design and content of EPCs in Scotland and is expected to report on its findings towards the end of 2024."
The UK government launched an Action Plan in 2020 aimed at making EPCs more "trusted, accurate, and reliable"1. According to the government's 2021 Progress Report, 11 out of the 35 actions were completed, with progress underway on the rest1. A new version of the rating method, to be called the Home Energy Model, will allow more options and details to be included so that ratings more accurately reflect the features of a property1. The UK government was also expected to launch its own consultation at the end of 2023, but the change of government following the general election has set back these plans and no date has been announced for when it will be launched1.
Why it matters for households
An EPC is one of the few documents a household receives that is specific to its own property, setting out the insulation and heating system and suggested improvements1. It is also used to determine eligibility for government grants and green financial products1, so the accuracy of the rating can affect access to support as well as the information a buyer sees.
The Scottish consultation concerns the certificate itself rather than the wider EPC regulations and reform landscape, and any change would apply to the Scottish certificate, which already differs from the one used in England and Wales1. For households in Scotland, the practical questions are what the certificate measures, how current it is and how far it reflects the property as built and lived in. The housing stock and EPC ratings in Scotland shape how those ratings fall across the country, and the devolved framework behind them is set out in energy and buildings policy in Scotland.
Accuracy matters beyond the sale or rental process. Where a rating is used to judge eligibility for grants and financial products1, an outdated or inaccurate certificate can misrepresent what a home needs and what support it can attract. The 10-year validity period is central to that concern1.
What happens next
The Scottish government is expected to report on its consultation findings towards the end of 20241. No date has been announced for the UK government's own EPC consultation1.