Getting a 1960s flat or maisonette to EPC C

Why this type behaves the way it does

• System or concrete-panel construction
• Often electric storage or panel heating
• Communal structure limits some external works

Measures that typically reach C

Heating controls

A programmer, a room thermostat and thermostatic radiator valves let the heating run only when and where it’s needed, rather than heating the whole home all the time. Adding the controls a system lacks is inexpensive, improves the EPC, and is one of the simplest ways to trim a tenant’s energy bills.

Loft insulation

Topping up loft insulation to the recommended 270mm is usually the cheapest high-impact improvement, because a quarter of a home’s heat can escape through the roof. It’s quick to install in an accessible loft, rarely needs consent, and the SAP uplift per pound spent is among the best of any measure — which is why it’s almost always the first recommendation on an EPC.

Double glazing

Replacing single-glazed windows with modern double (or secondary) glazing cuts heat loss and draughts and lifts both comfort and the EPC score. In conservation areas or on listed buildings, slim-profile or secondary glazing is often the route that keeps planning happy while still improving performance.

Low-energy lighting

Swapping any remaining halogen or incandescent bulbs for LEDs is the cheapest improvement of all, and it appears on a surprising number of EPCs. It won’t move a property a whole band on its own, but as part of a package it’s an easy, instant win with no installer required.

Hot water cylinder insulation

Where the home has a hot water cylinder, a properly fitted insulating jacket (or upgrading thin existing insulation) plus a cylinder thermostat keeps water hot for longer using less energy. It’s cheap, quick, and a common line on EPCs for older heating systems.

Switching from electric heating and improving controls usually has the biggest impact, though communal ownership can complicate external measures.

Check your property’s real figures

The above is general to the construction type. Enter a postcode for the actual current band, the gap to C, and the costed measures from that property’s own EPC.

Common questions

Explore EPC C by topic and area

Guidance is general to the construction type and indicative; the cost figures in the checker come from each property’s own EPC. EPC data: contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.