Energy Performance Certificate
A legal requirement: if you are think of letting or selling your home.
A legal requirement: if you are think of letting or selling your home.
On completion of construction, lease or sale, all UK Residential and Commercial properties require an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC).
Since implementation, Landlords and Property Owners in England & Wales have been required to provide Energy Performance Certificates (EPC’s) to any prospective buyer or tenant when they lease, build or sell a Residential or Commercial Property. An EPC is also now a requirement for all dwellings at the construction stage.
Much like the multi-coloured sticker on new appliances, EPCs tell you how energy efficient a building is and give it a rating from A (very efficient) to G (inefficient). They let the person who will use the building know how costly it will be to heat and light, and what its carbon dioxide emissions are likely to be.
The EPC will also state what the energy efficiency rating could be if improvements are made, and highlights cost-effective ways to achieve a better rating. Even if you rent your home, some improvements noted on the EPC might be worth your while – such as switching to more energy-efficient light bulbs.
Once produced, EPCs are valid for 10 years.