EPC: Commission, Provide and Access — landlord obligations in England
Before marketing a rental property, you must have a valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). If you don't have one, you must commission it within 7 days and get it within 21 days. You must include the energy efficiency rating in any advertisements, give the EPC to the tenant at the earliest opportunity (before they become tenant), and allow an energy assessor access to the property. This applies every time you market or rent out a property.
The law that creates this obligation
Your obligations as a landlord
- Who this applies to: All landlords marketing or renting out a building in England, except for listed/protected buildings, places of worship, temporary buildings (under 2 years), residential buildings used less than 4 months/year with low energy use, and stand-alone buildings under 50m².
- When it applies: Before marketing a property, and for each new tenancy.
- What you must do: Commission an EPC if none exists, include the rating in ads, provide the EPC to tenants before they move in, and allow assessor access when needed.
What good evidence looks like
Your compliance file should contain
- Written record or document confirming this obligation has been met
- Date of compliance — email timestamp, signed receipt, or platform log
- Trigger: When marketing or starting a new tenancy. Remind 7 days before commission deadline if no EPC exists.
Upload the valid EPC, a copy of any advertisement showing the energy rating, and a record of delivery to the tenant.
Record this obligation in your LettingsLedger workspace
Upload evidence, set reminders, and build a timestamped compliance record — all in one place.
Consequences of non-compliance
You can be fined £200 per breach by the local trading standards authority.
Further reading for landlords
LettingsLedger is a compliance evidence governance platform. It is not a legal services provider and does not provide legal advice. Content is derived from UK primary legislation at legislation.gov.uk and official GOV.UK sources. Reflects the position as at June 2026. A GovProtocol product by Pertheo Limited.