Who requires an Energy Performance Certificate

When Selling Your Property

The government passed legislation that states anyone wishing to sell their property must have ordered or possess an EPC when the property goes on the market. Your estate agent is required to upload this EPC within 28 days of the sale’s commencement date. There is currently no minimum EPC rating required for the sale of a property, unlike if you intend to rent the property. An EPC is required for the transaction to be completed when selling - therefore this includes transferring a property from a pension fund or passing property to your relatives etc.

When Renting Your Property

If you wish to rent or lease your property you, as the landlord, must ensure that an EPC is available for any potential tenant to look at. As of April 2018, it is unlawful to let a property in the UK with an EPC rating below an 'E' (unless an appropriate exemption is registered). Where the landlord has failed to comply with the Compliance Notice this could lead to a fine up to £2,000 and/or a Publication Penalty. The legislation, Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) can have a major impact on your property portfolio.

How is an EPC Inspection carried out?

To conduct a standard residential EPC we must attend the property in question - they cannot be done remotely.  The EPC assessor will have to access all rooms – and the loft if possible. You won’t be expected to lift any floorboards or carpets though; it’s designed to be a brief, non-intrusive assessment of your home and completed in under 30 minutes. Therefore, if you have any measures that we will not be able to see whilst at the property, such as: Suspended Floor Insulation, Wall (Cavity or External) Insulation, Loft Insulation or otherwise - We will require evidence of these for them to be included in our assessment. If the evidence is not provided, the software will make assumptions based on the age and construction of the property, which is estimated whilst on site. The assessor will need to take plenty of photos for the data submission and also measurements for the rooms - though this does not equate to a marketing floorplan.

Compare energy efficiency.

EPCs are produced using standard information about buildings. This allows prospective buyers and tenants to easily see and compare the energy efficiency of all properties they are considering. It also shows them how much it may cost to heat and light a building before they enter into a contract.

 Improve energy efficiency.

The EPC also shows how energy efficient a property could be if some improvements are carried out. These include replacing lighting with low energy bulbs or upgrading insulation.

With each EPC is a report that sets out the cost effective measures that homeowners or businesses can take to improve the energy efficiency and energy rating of their property.

Responsibilities

If you are selling your building or renting it out to a new tenant it is your responsibility as the owner or landlord to make sure you have an EPC. Also, you need to make it available to potential buyers or tenants and you must give a copy to the new owner when you sell the building.

If you are buying or thinking of renting a property from a landlord, the EPC should be made available to you at no cost. Should you choose to buy the property, you will be given a copy by the seller that you can reuse if you sell or rent out the building within the EPC’s period of validity. 

EPC Herts provides energy performance certificate for homes in Herts, Essex and North London.

 Enfield, Cuffley, Goffs Oak, Cheshunt, Hoddesdon, Broxbourne, Ware, Hertford, and Harlow.