An Energy Performance Certificate can look like a simple source to copy into a report. In a Level 2 service, it also needs to be compared with the subject property so that any obvious discrepancies and their implications can be explained to the client.
That comparison depends on what the surveyor observed, what could be inspected and how the available evidence should be interpreted. An outsourced report writer can organise the certificate details and the surveyor’s findings, highlight possible conflicts and prepare clear draft wording. The inspecting surveyor must decide whether a discrepancy exists, explain its significance and approve the final advice.
Work to the current published RICS standard
RICS confirmed in its September 2026 update that professional obligations remain unchanged while the second edition is being developed. Its Home Survey Standard page directs members to continue using the first edition until the second edition takes full effect.
Section 4.7 of the current RICS Home Survey Standard says that the most recent EPC should be obtained from the appropriate central register where practicable if it has not been supplied, and that the relevant energy and environmental ratings should be reviewed and stated. At Level 2, checks should also be made for obvious discrepancies between the EPC and the property, with the implications explained to the client.
For properties in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, the official GOV.UK energy certificate service can be searched by address or certificate number. GOV.UK directs users to a separate register for properties in Scotland.
A discrepancy check is not an EPC audit
RICS Property Journal guidance explains that identifying obvious discrepancies does not mean auditing the domestic energy assessor or recreating the assessor’s methodology. The purpose is to identify material conflicts apparent from the surveyor’s inspection and other reliable information, then help the client understand their implications.
For an outsourced draft, the writer should not recalculate the rating, reverse-engineer the certificate or treat an unverified photograph as proof of construction or insulation. The writer can compare the information supplied, present the conflict clearly and raise a query where the surveyor’s conclusion is missing.
Give the writer a structured EPC record
| Field | What to record | Drafting purpose |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate identity | Property address, certificate reference and inspection or lodgement date. | Confirms that the certificate belongs to the subject property and shows when it was prepared. |
| Published ratings | Current energy rating and environmental impact rating shown on the certificate. | Provides the factual information required for the report. |
| EPC description | The relevant construction, floor area, heating, glazing or insulation entry being checked. | Identifies the precise certificate information under review. |
| Inspection finding | What the surveyor observed, including location and any supporting note or photograph. | Provides the evidence for comparison. |
| Limitation | Anything concealed, inaccessible, assumed by the EPC or not verified during the inspection. | Prevents uncertainty being converted into a fact. |
| Surveyor decision | Whether there is an obvious discrepancy and what it may mean for the client. | Gives the writer the professional conclusion needed for the final paragraph. |
| Connected advice | Any relevant repair advice, legal enquiry or further evidence requested. | Keeps the energy section consistent with the rest of the report. |
This is a suggested production record rather than an RICS-prescribed form. It should be adapted to the practice’s template, the property and the agreed scope of service.
Check identity and chronology first
Confirm that the address and property description are consistent with the subject property, that the most recent available certificate has been selected and that the certificate predates or postdates any apparent extension or material alteration. An older certificate is not automatically wrong, but its date may explain why the current property differs.
Where the certificate came from the seller, agent or another third party, record that source. Our guide to seller information in Level 2 reports explains how to separate reported information from the surveyor’s own inspection findings.
Compare only what the evidence supports
Possible conflicts may include a different wall construction, an extension that does not appear to be reflected in the recorded floor area or layout, a changed heating system, or an entry for glazing or insulation that seems inconsistent with what was visible. These are prompts for the surveyor’s review, not conclusions for the writer to select automatically.
The absence of visible insulation is not proof that none exists. A photograph of a wall surface does not establish the full wall construction. A boiler label may show a model but may not establish the whole heating arrangement. The draft should state the observed evidence and the inspection limitation before the surveyor decides whether the difference is sufficiently clear to report as a discrepancy.
Explain the implication without inventing an outcome
A useful Level 2 paragraph does more than list two conflicting descriptions. It explains why the difference matters to the client. Depending on the surveyor’s assessment, the implication might concern how representative the certificate is of the property as inspected, whether its recommendations relate to the current building, or whether further documentary clarification is appropriate.
The implication must come from the surveyor. The writer should not claim that a discrepancy changes the EPC rating, predicts a particular energy cost or proves that an alteration lacked approval. Those outcomes require evidence and, in some cases, advice outside the Level 2 inspection.
If the intended implication is unclear, record the issue on the drafting query log. A short, answerable query such as “The EPC records cavity walls; your notes describe solid masonry at the rear elevation. Should this be reported as an obvious discrepancy, and what implication do you want explained?” is more useful than a writer filling the gap.
Keep Level 2 advice within the agreed scope
The current standard distinguishes Level 2 discrepancy reporting from Level 3 advice on the appropriateness of energy improvements recommended by the EPC. A Level 2 report can explain the surveyor’s identified discrepancy and its implications without becoming a retrofit assessment or a detailed appraisal of every recommended measure.
If additional energy or retrofit advice is offered, it should match the surveyor’s competence and the terms of engagement. The writer should not broaden the commissioned service simply because the EPC contains a long list of improvements.
Reconcile the EPC paragraph before issue
During final review, the inspecting surveyor should check:
- the certificate relates to the correct property and is the most recent version found;
- the rating, score, dates and other copied facts agree with the certificate;
- each reported discrepancy is supported by the inspection record or other identified evidence;
- limitations and assumptions are clear;
- the explanation of implications reflects the surveyor’s judgement;
- the energy paragraph agrees with the element sections, legal enquiries and overall opinion; and
- no wording implies an EPC audit, recalculated rating or wider energy service that was not undertaken.
A late change to the property description, heating information or alteration history should trigger another check of the EPC wording and any connected cross-references.
Use outsourced drafting without outsourcing the decision
The Survey Edit provides outsourced RICS Level 2 report drafting support from the surveyor’s notes, photographs, template and instructions. We can record EPC facts, compare the supplied information, structure the paragraph and flag possible discrepancies or missing decisions for clarification.
The inspecting surveyor determines what the evidence establishes, decides whether a discrepancy is obvious, explains its implications, reviews and amends the draft, approves the final wording and issues the report. To discuss a suitable handover for your practice, send The Survey Edit an enquiry.
You inspect. We write.