Energy Performance Certificates

An EPC is a rating of the energy efficiency of your home or business property. It takes into account the age, construction, insulation, windows and other openings, heating/cooling, heating controls, how hot water is provided, and lighting. Also measured is the area and storey height of the property, and whether the property is detached, semi-detached etc.

Your EPC will give you an A-G rating shown on a coloured graph, A being the best. {sample EPC here}. This is the same as when you buy an appliance for your property. You will also receive recommendations to improve the energy efficiency of your property, and reduce carbon dioxide emissions. These recommendations aren’t compulsory, but it’s a good idea to look if you are doing work to your property.

An EPC is an asset rating of how energy efficient your property is, and all the data we input to get your EPC rating is based on a standardised occupation, so we don’t need to see your energy bills. If we were to look at an ‘operational’ rating then we would be looking at your bills. This would be like a Display Energy Certificate.

An EPC lasts for ten years.

Every property which is for sale or let should have a valid EPC. or one should be commissioned and provided for the property within 7 days (21 days if not possible can be added) of the property going onto the market. There are a few exceptions:

• A consecrated property (a church still used for worship but not a church hall){PICTURE}
• Farm buildings with a very low energy demand, or storage units without any heating and personnel accommodation{PICTURE}
• Completely self-contained units that are stand alone ( not connected to any other buildings) and less than 50sq.m{PICTURE}
• Temporary buildings likely to be there for less than 2 years eg site portacabins.{PICTURE}
• Listed property{PICTURE}

If you sell your property to your pension fund, or remortgage, there is a good chance you will now be asked to supply an EPC also.

You will also need one if you are applying for Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI), Feed-in-Tariffs (FiT), and Energy Company Obligation (ECO). Check out our pages to see more on this.[LINK HERE]

New build properties will also require a special On-construction EPC. Without this you can’t get a Completion Certificate, so you wouldn’t be able to sell. It is important you make sure with domestic property that you order a SAPEPC for your new –build property, as a normal EPC for sale or let will not satisfy the Building Control Officer. What you need to look out for is the Type of Assessment at the top RHS of the EPC. Here it will say either RdSAP existing dwelling, or SAP, new dwelling.

If you have an EPC on your commercial property and its more than 500sq.m in size, then you should display it somewhere in your building.

This is a special type of EPC, and is not an asset rating like a normal EPC, but an operational rating. This means we collect information about gas, electricity and other fuel usage, the size of the property, and what its used for. An A rating means the building is being used very efficiently. Its only required for public buildings visited regularly by the public such as schools, hospitals and government or council buildings. {PICTURE} Its required for all public buildings over 250sq.m. However DECs can be used voluntarily by businesses wishing to show they are energy efficient and conscious of their company carbon emissions. Businesses which come under Energy Savings Opportunity Scheme (ESOS) requirements may also find it useful to have a DEC to meet part of their reporting requirements. As this only affects certain businesses, we’ve put together a Factsheet[s] all about ESOS.

These are required for every property which has air conditioning systems over 12kW fitted, and the systems are 5 or more years old. The EPC checks the efficiency of the installation(s) and whether it is correctly installed and operating. It is not just required on properties that are for sale or let.

To give you an idea, an office of 200sq.m, with air-conditioning fitted throughout, is very likely to need an ACEPC.

If you are letting or selling with an agent, then it is likely that the agent will not put the property on the market until an EPC is obtained. There are fines for non-compliance with the EPC legislation, and the agent will be liable if they have not complied, or asked you as the vendor or landlord to obtain one.

The fines are different depending of what type of property, but are far more than the cost of an EPC. You’ll still have to get one too.

Your solicitor may ask you to provide one if they are doing work which involves the transfer of ownership of a property. If they do, you may not be able to complete the transfer if one is not provided.

From 2018 there is a minimum EPC rating of E for all property being let or sold. The value of your property may be reduced if you don’t have an EPC with an E rating or above. The legislation for this is already in place from 1 April 2016. We’ve put together a special Factsheet [LINK HERE] on this as it could have serious financial implications if you aren’t prepared