What's an EPC Certificate, why you need one and how to get one when selling your home
What does EPC stand for?
Energy Performance Certificate.
What is an EPC Certificate?
A certificate that details the energy performance of a building/property. It states how energy efficient a building is and gives it a rating from A (very efficient) to G (inefficient).
It gives people an indication of the likely running costs of that building. People can then gauge how much it will cost to heat and light the property, and what its carbon dioxide emissions are likely to be.
The certificate will also recommend ways to reduce energy use to make the property more energy efficient.
Example of an EPC Certificate page 1
Why do I need an EPC Certificate?
It is a legal requirement to have a valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) when a building is sold, rented or constructed in England (including Herne Bay!), Wales and Northern Ireland.
The EPC must be commissioned before the property is put on the market and it must be available to be shown to prospective buyers or tenants if requested. You could get a hefty fine if you can't give a potential buyer or tenant a valid EPC.
How long does an EPC Certificate last?
EPCs are valid for 10 years from the date when they are issued.
How do I get an EPC Certificate?
You have to have your property assessed by someone who is an accredited Domestic Energy Assessor (DEA), who will then produce the Energy Performance Certificate.
The EPC will then be sent to you, usually electronically or you can download it direct from the EPC register.
Where can I buy an EPC Certificate?
You will get an Energy Performance Certificate once your property has been assessed. You can buy or order an EPC assessment survey direct from an accredited Domestic Energy Assessor.
...or if you want to save time, you can order one via this form...
How much does an EPC Certificate cost?
The price of your energy performance certificate will depend on the type of property and how many bedrooms it has. Via 99home, for a domestic EPC the cost is from £79.
What is exempt from an EPC?
There are some buildings that are exempt from EPC requirements, including:
- Places of worship
- Listed buildings
- Holiday accommodation and residential buildings used less than 4 months a year
- Industrial sites and workshops
- Buildings that are to be demolished
- Buildings intended to be used for less than 2 years
- Stand-alone buildings with less than 50 square metres of useful floor space.
What is an EPC Assessment?
An EPC assessment is carried out by an accredited Domestic Energy Assessor (DEA). The DEA will visit a building and assess the energy efficiency of that property. They will then produce an Energy Performance Certificate.
The EPC assessment is designed to be a brief, non-intrusive assessment of your home and involves the DEA looking at each room of your entire property.
It includes:
- Age and type of house, floor area
- Home insulation
- Primary and secondary heat sources
- Energy saving light bulbs
- Hot water
- Windows
- Air tightness
How to get an EPC Assessment?
To get an EPC Assessment you will need to hire the services of an accredited DEA. You can search for DEAs in your area via the Government website, or you can hire one through your estate agent.
Where can I download an EPC Certificate from?
You can view the EPC of any property that has one (unless the owner has opted-out) via the national EPC Register.
Go to epcregister .com and on the left hand side click one of the "retrieve report" links.
I would provide you a link direct to it, but for some bizarre reason they don't allow people to directly link! This is from their terms... "You may not create a link to this website from another website or document without Landmark Information Group's prior written consent."
Screenshot of EPC Register
Is there a minimum EPC rating?
From 1 April 2018, all rented property (both domestic and non-domestic) which is to have a new tenancy must have an EPC rating of at least “E”.
How can I improve my EPC rating?
It's a great idea to make your property as energy efficient as possible because;
- It will reduce your bills
- It will help save the environment
- It will probably make your property warmer
- It will make your property more desirable and possibly increase its value
For ideas on how to improve the EPC rating of your property check out the Home Energy Check Tool.
