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Choosing a survey level

Why is an EPC not a way of choosing between a Level 2 and a Level 3?

GOV.UK requires an Energy Performance Certificate when a home is sold, and a certificate is valid for 10 years. It rates energy cost, not whether the bay is moving or the roof is leaking. A high or low EPC does not tell you which RICS level to book.

Last reviewed 24 October 2026. Written for buyers in England and Wales unless this answer says otherwise. No named surveyor has signed this page. It is general guidance, not a report on your house, and not legal advice.

What is the fuller explanation?

The EPC can hint at insulation and heating, and a surveyor may comment if what they see contradicts it. It is not a condition rating and not a building survey. Choosing Level 1, 2 or 3 depends on age, construction and alterations, which is the RICS consumer guide’s subject. An A-rated new flat and an A-rated strange conversion are not the same instruction.

Ask for the EPC as well as the survey, because the law on selling asks for it and because the recommendations are sometimes useful. Do not let an agent say the EPC replaces a survey. If the two documents disagree about the loft insulation, believe the one that says it looked, and ask the surveyor what they could see.

What should you ask your surveyor?

  • Will you be comparing the EPC with what you can see in the loft?
  • What condition questions will the EPC not answer, whatever the letter?
  • Which level fits the building, ignoring the EPC letter?

What are the typical next steps?

  1. Read the EPC for energy. Read the survey for condition.
  2. If they conflict, ask the surveyor, not the assessor, about the fabric they inspected.
  3. Do not choose Level 1 because the EPC is a B.

Costs vary with the building and with who you instruct. Where this page does not cite a published figure, ask the surveyor, a relevant specialist, or your solicitor for a written quote. Do not treat a forum average as the price.

Also asked about this

Does a missing EPC block the survey?

No. The survey can go ahead. The seller still has duties about the EPC when marketing. That is the solicitor’s and the agent’s point, under the GOV.UK selling guidance.

Can the surveyor issue an EPC on the same visit?

Only if they are instructed and accredited to do so. A home survey is not an EPC. Ask if you want both.

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