How can I tell if an EPC is fake without contacting the assessor?

Take the 20-character RRN from the top of the certificate and search it directly on the government's free register at gov.uk/find-energy-certificate. If the address, rating, and assessor don't match what's on the register, the document is either fraudulent or has been altered after issue, and you should not rely on it before proceeding.

What happens to an assessor who is caught falsifying an EPC?

Accreditation schemes such as Stroma classify deliberate falsification as a Major Transgression, which results in permanent removal from that scheme and, in practice, from the profession, since other schemes generally will not re-accredit someone struck off for fraud. Providing a fraudulent EPC can also expose the assessor and the instructing landlord or agent to prosecution under consumer protection and misrepresentation law.

My landlord's EPC rating changed with no renovation work done. Is that a red flag?

Yes, on its own a rating jump of a full band or more without a corresponding invoice, work order, or evidence of insulation, glazing, or heating upgrades is one of the clearest signals raised on landlord and tenant forums. Ask for the RRN and check the register; if the new certificate isn't there, or shows a different assessment date than claimed, escalate to the local authority Trading Standards team.

Do mortgage lenders check EPCs before approving a remortgage?

Most buy-to-let lenders now require evidence of a current EPC in the A-to-E range before advancing finance, and some request it for standard residential remortgages too even though it isn't a statutory requirement for owner-occupied lending. Lenders generally accept the certificate as presented rather than independently checking the register, which is exactly the gap fraudulent certificates are designed to exploit.

Is it illegal to let a property with an EPC below band E?

Yes, under the MEES Regulations 2015 it is unlawful to grant a new tenancy, or continue certain existing tenancies, on a property rated F or G without a valid exemption registered with the PRS Exemptions Register. Penalties currently run up to £5,000 per property and are set to rise substantially once the tightened 2030 standard takes effect.

Can genuine articles of association still be fraudulent?

Yes, when they result from a registry-level identity hijack — a fraudulent director change or confirmation statement filed against a real company. The document Companies House holds is technically authentic, so the only way to catch this is reviewing the filing history for unexplained recent changes, not just checking that the document itself looks correct.

What is the fastest way to check if articles of association are genuine?

Search the company number on the free register at find-and-update.company-information.service.gov.uk and compare every material field — directors, registered office, share capital — against the document received. This takes under a minute and catches fabricated, tampered, and most AI-generated documents, since none of them can match a genuine register entry unless the underlying filing was itself fraudulent.

How is a fake articles of association different from a fake certificate of incorporation?

A certificate of incorporation only proves a company was formed on a given date; articles of association set out who controls it — director powers, share capital, voting rights. A forged certificate misrepresents that a company exists validly, while forged or hijacked articles misrepresent who is legally entitled to act on the company's behalf today, which is why they carry more weight in onboarding decisions involving signing authority.

Does the Companies House identity verification requirement stop this fraud?

It substantially reduces the risk of registering a brand-new shell company under a fabricated identity, but it does not stop registry-level hijacks of existing companies or document-level tampering and fabrication. Existing directors and PSCs have until 18 November 2026 to complete verification under the transitional arrangements, and independent document and filing-history checks remain necessary regardless.

Is presenting forged articles of association a criminal offence in the UK?

Yes. Using a forged or manipulated document to induce a business decision falls under false representation in Section 2 of the Fraud Act 2006, carrying up to ten years' imprisonment on indictment, and creating forged company documents can also fall within the Forgery and Counterfeiting Act 1981. Delivering false information to Companies House itself is a separate offence under Section 1112 of the Companies Act 2006.

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