Is the EPC data an official survey?

No. An EPC is not a structural survey, a valuation, or a RICS Homebuyer / Building Survey — and the EPC section in our report is not one either.

We surface the published certificate from the official Energy Performance of Buildings register (under Open Government Licence terms). That is public register data, not a new inspection arranged by us.

What an EPC assessor actually does

• Visual visit only — they do not lift floorboards, drill walls to prove insulation, or open up the roof beyond what is safely accessible.
• Standard assumptions — if insulation or construction cannot be seen or backed by paperwork, the assessment uses defaults based on the property’s age and type.
• Purpose — operational energy performance and recommended improvements. It does not check structural soundness, damp, wiring safety, plumbing, or roof condition.

Before you exchange, instruct a qualified surveyor and conveyancer in the usual way. Treat the EPC as one useful open-data layer in your research pack, not as proof the building is sound.