What is an EPC?
An EPC is an abbreviated word for Energy Performance Certificate.
An Energy Performance Certificate – or EPC – is a document which sets out the energy efficiency of a property on a system of A to G – A being the most efficient.
An EPC provides an indication of how much it will cost to heat and power a property. It also includes recommendations of energy-efficient improvements, the cost of carrying them out, and the potential savings in pounds and pence that each one could generate.
Do I need an EPC and how long is it valid?
It is a legal requirement to have a valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) when a building is sold, rented or constructed. An EPC is valid for ten years.
Your property’s EPC needs to be available to potential buyers as soon as you start to market your property for sale or rent. This will inform people how energy efficient the property is, including any potential savings on fuel payments.
You must get an approved /accredited Energy Assessor to produce the EPC, which provides information about a property’s energy use and typical energy costs.
If you implement any of the energy efficiency recommendations outlined in your EPC, you may wish to get a fresh EPC done to include these improvements. Failure to have a valid EPC may result in a fine, although there are exemptions e.g. listed properties.
It is a legal requirement to have a valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) when a building is sold, rented or constructed.
Your property’s EPC needs to be available to potential buyers as soon as you start to market your property for sale or rent. This will inform people how energy efficient the property is, including any potential savings on fuel payments.
You must get an approved /accredited Energy Assessor to produce the EPC, which provides information about a property’s energy use and typical energy costs.
If you implement any of the energy efficiency recommendations outlined in your EPC, you may wish to get a fresh EPC done to include these improvements. Failure to have a valid EPC may result in a fine, although there are exemptions e.g. listed properties.
When Selling Your Property:
According to legislation, if you plan to sell your property, you must possess or have ordered an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) when the property is put on the market. Your estate agent is responsible for uploading the EPC within 28 days of the sale’s commencement. Unlike renting, there is currently no minimum EPC rating required for the sale. The EPC is essential for completing the transaction, even if you are transferring the property from a pension fund or passing it on to relatives.
When Renting Your Property:
If you intend to rent or lease your property, as the landlord, you must ensure an EPC is available for potential tenants to review. Since April 2018, it is illegal to let a property in the UK with an EPC rating below an ‘E’ (unless exempted). Failure to comply with the Compliance Notice could result in a fine of up to £2,000 and/or a Publication Penalty. The legislation called Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) can significantly impact your property portfolio, and you can contact our team to discuss this in more detail at 02033978220.
SAP EPC - For New Builds and Converted Properties:
A SAP EPC is necessary for properties that are newly built, recently converted, or have increased their number of dwellings (e.g., one house transformed into two flats). The person responsible for the works must provide the SAP EPC to comply with Building Regulations. Unlike a standard EPC, a site visit is not required for a SAP EPC. Our qualified SAP energy assessors complete this task remotely using technical calculations and approved software. From the SAP Calculation, we generate a Predicted Energy Assessment (PEA) during the design stage (if the building isn’t finished yet) and a full SAP EPC once the building is complete and ready to be signed off by building control. The SAP EPC is valid for 10 years and can be used for all property transactions.
Please note that a standard site visit EPC cannot be completed for new builds or conversions; attempting to do so will fail an audit, and the EPC will not be issued. For a quote on a SAP EPC, you can click here.
Guide for Energy Performance Certificates
Enhance your EPC management skills with our comprehensive guide. Stay updated on regulations, best practices, and conduct accurate energy assessments for a sustainable future.
What happens during the assessment and what is checked?
The energy assessment needed to produce an EPC is performed by a qualified and accredited energy assessor who visits the property, examines key items such as cavity wall, floor and loft insulation, domestic boiler, hot water tank, radiators, heating controls windows for double glazing, and so on. He or she then inputs the observations into a software program which performs the calculation of energy efficiency. The program gives a single number for the rating of energy efficiency, and a recommended value of the potential for improvement. There are similar figures for environmental impact. A table of estimated energy bills per annum (and the potential for improvement) is also presented, but without any reference to householder bills. The exercise is entirely non-invasive, so the software will make assumptions on the insulation properties of various elements of the property based on age and construction type. The assessor has the ability to over-ride these assumptions if visual or written evidence is provided to support the presence of insulation which may have been subsequently installed.
The areas your energy assessor will look at include: The age, construction and size of your property. Primary heating systems- including the boiler and heating controls. Insulation – whether there is cavity wall insulation or loft insulation installed.
Legislation and Obligations
Extra requirements were introduced whereby a section 21 notice (two months no fault notice) could not be served unless an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), gas safety check certificate and the government’s How to Rent Guide had been served on the tenant.
A Licence to Occupy (Licence) is a personal agreement between a property owner (Licensor) and an occupier (Licensee). Under a Licence the Licensor provides the Licensee with the non-exclusive possession of a property for a period of time, typically 6 or 12 months. In return the Licensee pays the Licensor a licence fee.
In April 2018, Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards came into force in England and Wales and has made it a legal requirement for all privately owned properties to have an EPC rating of at least an ‘E’ before they are sold or let.
If an agent is marketing the property, they must include a copy of the EPC reports document in all commercial advertisements such as a brochure and website, etc. With a new building, the builder in charge of the construction is responsible for the establishment of an original Energy Certificate. And the Energy Certificate can only be produced by an accredited on-construction domestic energy assessor.
The Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES) is exactly what it sounds like. MEES states that any properties you put up for lease from 1 April 2018 are required by law to have an EPC of E or above. That covers new leases and lease renewals on all domestic properties.
Since it was first introduced in England and Wales in 2006, the EPC is now a legal requirement for a building to be sold, let or constructed. Once the Energy Performance Certificate is issued, it is the owner or landlord’s responsibility to keep it up-to-date.
If you choose to use an estate agent to market the property, they must include a copy of the EPC report in all commercial advertisements such as a brochure and website.
With a new building, the builder in charge of the construction is responsible for producing the Energy Certificate. If you choose to market privately, the EPC is still a legal requirement for both sales and lettings.
