Domestic Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) are required for Letting & Selling.
Energy Performance Certificates are a relatively new component in the Home Information Pack. EPCs tell home buyers and sellers how energy efficient a property is by giving it a rating from A - G, where A is the most energy efficient, meaning lower fuel bills, while a G rating is inefficient, meaning higher fuel bills.
The Energy Performance Certificate will also show the buildings environmental impact by indicating its carbon-dioxide emissions. The EPC will give recommendations for cost-effective improvements to help save energy, reduce fuel bills and carbon emissions and improve the buildings rating. It is estimated that by following the recommendations in an EPC, an average of approximately £300-£400 a year can be saved in fuel bills. The potential rating is based on all the recommendations being implemented.
The biggest consumption of energy in the home is spent on heating the property itself, and on heating water. Some homes generate heat more efficiently, for example using a condensing boiler for both (central) heating and water; other less efficient, perhaps using electric radiant fires for heating and an immersion heater for the water. Likewise, some houses are better insulated than others, and by conserving heat need to generate less.
The more efficient a house is, the less energy it should consume; and hence should enjoy lower fuel bills and, importantly, be responsible for lower CO2 greenhouse gas emissions.
An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) will contain:
1) Energy Efficiency Rating
2) Carbon Emission Rating
3) Running Cost Indicators
4) Improvement Recommedations
What an EPC Contains
Example EPC PDF
How will the buyer benefit from the EPC?
The Energy Performance Certificate will identify cost effective improvements that buyers can make to reduce fuel bills and carbon emissions and to make the property more energy efficient.
How will the seller benefit from the EPC?
The Energy Performance Certificate will identify cost effective improvements to reduce fuel bills and make the property a more attractive prospect.
Why should buyers/sellers trust the Energy Assessment?
All Domestic Energy Assessors, or as in the case of this company, a fully qualified Home Surveyor will conduct your EPC. The Home Surveyor must be a member of an Accreditation Scheme set up to ensure that their work can be trusted by sellers, buyers and lender.
These schemes are designed to ensure that Home Surveyors & Domestic Energy Assessors are properly qualified, have had a criminal record check and have adequate insurance cover for any claims that may be made. Any one who does not meet the necessary standards can be suspended.
-SORRY WE CANNOT ASSESS NEW BUILDS-
Commercial Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
By law Energy Performance Certificates are required for most non-domestic commercial buildings being sold, rented or constructed. Buildings being modified and resulting in the addition or removal of parts of the building and also buildings having Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) systems installed or modified may also require an EPC.
On construction – The constructor gives the Energy Performance Certificate and Recommendations Report to the Purchaser on physical completion of the building and notifies Building Control, who will not issue a Certificate of Completion until the EPC is provided.
For sale or rent – As soon as the building is offered for sale or rent the seller or landlord must make an EPC available to prospective buyers or tenants. The Energy Performance Certificate may be for the whole building or individual units and completion of contract should not happen without it.
On modification – The contractor undertaking modification work is responsible for providing an Energy Performance Certificate and Recommendations Report to the client. They must then notify Building Control who will not issue the Certificate of Completion until the EPC is provided.
The maximum penalty for non-compliance is currently £5k which is enforceable by Trading Standards. The penalty notice also includes the requirement to produce a valid EPC.
Exemptions
Exemptions to the requirement for an EPC are:
- Places of worship
- Temporary buildings in use for less than two years, e.g. site offices
- Low energy demand buildings such as agricultural buildings, e.g. barns
- Stand alone buildings less than 50m2, e.g. sheds and summer houses
The certificate is being phased in from:
- April 6 2008 when buildings with a total floor area of more than 10,000sq m required one.
- July 1 2008, this extends to buildings with a total floor area greater than 2,500sq m.
- 1 October 2008 all remaining commercial buildings will require an EPC on sale, rental or upon construction.
|
