What do EPC ratings A to G actually mean?
EPC bands run from A to G, mapped from a SAP score of 1 to 100. Band C covers 69 to 80 points and is the level rented homes are expected to need by 2030. Most existing Rugby homes sit in band D, between 55 and 68 points.
- Band A is 92–100; band G is 1–38.
- Band E is today’s legal minimum for letting a home.
- The score models a standard household, not your actual usage.
- Two identical buildings receive identical ratings.
Every EPC gives a property a score from 1 to 100 — the SAP score — which maps to a letter band from A to G. The higher the score, the lower the modelled running costs, and for landlords the band directly determines whether the property can legally be let.
| Band | SAP score | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| A | 92–100 | Excellent — very low running costs |
| B | 81–91 | Very good — efficient modern home |
| C | 69–80 | Good — the target for rented homes by 2030 |
| D | 55–68 | Average — where most of the area sits |
| E | 39–54 | Below par — today’s legal minimum to let |
| F–G | 1–38 | Poor — cannot be let without works or an exemption |
Where Rugby homes actually sit
The national picture is that most existing homes land in band D, and Rugby is no exception — but the spread within the district is wide, and it tracks the age of the housing rather than the affluence of the area.
- Modern housing — Cawston, Brandon, Draycote and Ryton on Dunsmore tend to sit at C or high D, because the fabric was built to a decent standard.
- Inter-war housing — much of Bilton, New Bilton, The Paddox, Rokeby and Caldecott sits at D, and moves to C readily once the cavity and loft are done.
- Post-war estate housing — parts of Brownsover, Overslade, Eastlands and Newton can sit at D or E, with the heating system usually the deciding factor.
- Victorian and village property — the town centre, Hillmorton, Newbold on Avon, Dunchurch and the Dunsmore villages often sit at E or below. Solid walls and, in the villages, oil or LPG heating make this the hardest and most expensive stock to move.
What the bands mean in practice
A and B are rare outside new build and deep retrofit. C is the band that matters most right now, because it is the level residential lettings are expected to need by 2030. D is where the bulk of the country sits. E is the current legal minimum to let. F and G cannot lawfully be let at all without a registered exemption.
One important caveat
The EPC models a standard household, not yours. Two identical houses get identical ratings even if one family runs the heating at 21°C all winter and the other wears a jumper. The certificate is a comparison of buildings — it is deliberately not a bill estimate.
Moving up a band
See our MEES consultancy for a costed plan, or book a fresh domestic EPC to establish the current score first.
Looking for your own area? We have local EPC guides for Newbold on Avon, Overslade, Kings Newnham, Monks Kirby, Rugby town centre, Long Lawford, Brinklow, Bourton on Dunsmore and every other Rugby area.
