Who needs an Energy Performance Certificate and Why?
The Government is keen to ensure home-owners act responsibly when it comes to making their home energy efficient, given nearly 40% of the UK’s energy consumption comes from lighting and heating the nation’s 25 million homes and offices. So all UK home-owners are legally obliged to have an Energy Performance Certificate (or EPC) before marketing begins on their house or flat. That way people are made aware of just how much fuel a property uses. This relates to properties of all sizes, regardless of the number of bedrooms, whether the property is to sale or to let, and whether it’s commercial or residential.
Once obtained, an EPC lasts ten years for a lettings property and three years for a sales one. Tenanted properties will only require a certificate once the tenancy comes to an end, and prior to new tenants moving in. However if your property is currently empty or will be soon, now is an ideal time to get your EPC done.
Can I Market my property without an EPC?
Yes but only if either yourself or your estate agent has actually ordered an Energy Performance Certificate before marketing commences. At minimum, this means a Domestic Energy Assessor must be instructed to prepare an EPC for your home before it is marketed. The law says it must either be paid for upfront, or a clear commitment made to pay for one by the person (or estate agent) responsible for marketing. There should also be a ‘reasonable’ expectation that the EPC will be made available within 28 days of the property first appearing on the market. This means when it is ‘advertised or otherwise communicated (in whatever form and by whatever means) to the public or to a section of the public’. If it is not (unlikely in most cases), both yourself, the seller, and the agent responsible for marketing your home must make all reasonable efforts to obtain it as soon as possible, or risk pain of penalty.
What’s actually is an EPC?
The EPC shows the Environmental Impact of a building in terms of Carbon Dioxide or CO² emissions. The average property in the UK is in bands D-E for both ratings. The format is basically a certificate attached to your property’s details which says how energy efficient your house or flat is. A Domestic Energy Assessor will visit your home and assess your property. This generally takes around 30 minutes, but this may vary slightly depending on the size of the property. Properties are graded from A (the most energy efficient) to G (the least), and an energy graph is attached to the property details, giving the potential buyer a general overview of a property’s energy efficiency. The EPC will also make recommendations about ways to save energy on your home, such as insulation and double-glazing. A copy of the EPC must be kept on file and made available to all potential buyers and tenants. While the recommendations within the EPC are voluntary and not a legal requirement, failure to provide an EPC can result in a fine from trading standards.
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