Your EPC is still valid. But October 2026 is changing everything (Free EPC Check)
- Cleo
- Jun 2
- 3 min read
We built a free tool to show you exactly where you stand.
If your property has an EPC, there is a good chance it is still legally valid. EPCs last ten years, and millions of them issued between 2016 and 2020 have not yet expired. But here is the thing: the framework those certificates were assessed against is being replaced.
From October 2026, the government is introducing a new four-metric EPC framework. The single A to G rating that most people are familiar with will be replaced by four separate scores covering fabric performance, heating system, energy cost, and smart readiness. A property that currently shows as a C could look very different under the new system. And a property that looks fine on paper today could be flagged as at risk under incoming Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards regulations.
We wanted to make it easy for anyone to understand where they actually stand. So we built a free tool to help.
What is changing and why it matters
The current EPC system has been in place in about the same form since 2007. It measures a property against a single energy efficiency score and produces a rating from A to G. That rating drives compliance decisions, mortgage products, rental eligibility, and retrofit planning.
The new framework splits this into four distinct metrics:
• Fabric performance: how well the walls, roof, floors, and windows retain heat
• Heating system: the carbon intensity and efficiency of how the property is heated
• Energy cost rating: what the property actually costs to run
• Smart readiness: whether the property can work with smart tariffs, solar, and flexible energy
Each of these will be scored separately. A property with efficient heating but poor wall insulation will no longer be able to mask one with the other. That matters for landlords, for buyers, and for anyone planning retrofit work.
It also matters because the cost of doing something about it has changed significantly since most EPCs were issued. Construction costs have risen sharply since 2021. The indicative costs shown on your EPC, which were calculated at the time of assessment, are in many cases 30 to 40 percent out of date.
What we built
The PontePatros EPC Check is a free tool that pulls your existing certificate from the official MHCLG register and shows you:
• How your property is likely to perform against each of the four new 2026 metrics
• Where your risks are, based on your current fabric, heating, and energy data
• What your recommended improvements actually cost today, updated using the BCIS Tender Price Index
• Whether your property is at risk under the incoming MEES EPC C requirement
No account needed. No form to fill in. Just enter your postcode and address and you will see your results within seconds.
If you want to keep a copy, you can enter your email and we will send you a full summary. If you want to be notified when the new framework goes live in October, there is a simple option to opt in to that too.
A note on what this is and is not
The 2026 metric assessments shown in the tool are directional projections based on your existing EPC data. They are not a new or amended Energy Performance Certificate. The new framework is not yet in force, and the exact scoring methodology is still being finalised by government.
What the tool gives you is a clear, evidence-based view of where your risks are likely to sit under the new system, based on what your EPC already tells us about your property. Think of it as a prompt to ask the right questions before October, not a certified result.
If you need a certified assessment, we carry out Domestic Energy Assessments directly and can connect you with accredited assessors. You can find out more on our services page.
Try it now
The tool is live at check.pontepatros.com and covers properties in England and Wales. It works on mobile and desktop.
If you are a housing association, local authority, or landlord with a portfolio of properties and want to understand your exposure at scale, get in touch. We work with organisations across the sector on performance monitoring, retrofit coordination, and outcomes verification.
About PontePatros
PontePatros is a proptech company building performance intelligence for housing providers, landlords, and residents. We help people understand what is really happening in their buildings and act on it.
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