An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is required for most properties in the UK being built or wanting to sell or rent.
In England, an EPC must be ordered before a property is marketed for rent or sale; it contains information on the property’s energy usage, typical costings and recommendations on how to reduce Energy use and be more cost effective.
Once processed, a certificate is valid for 10 years and gives the property a rating from A to G. A is the best and G being the worst. A property lower than an E cannot be rented out, unless an exemption applies.
An Assessor comes to your property for approx. 30 mins/ 1 hour; in that time they need access to all rooms, gardens and the loft (if applicable). They will take measurements and photographs in each room. The photographs will be of items including; windows, doors, radiators, lights, boiler and insulation.
You will be asked to provide any documentation you may have for; windows, doors, cavity wall insulation, internal/external insulation, loft insulation or solar panels.
If your loft is fully boarded, no insulation will be able to be recorded unless you can show proof of the insulation or lift multiple boards as proof.
The EPC is great to use for comparing the property size of comparable properties as the square meterage can be found at the top.
The EPC also shows you information about the property that you may not have noticed, like telling you how much loft insulation there is, or how good the boiler is.
Energy Performance Certificate
13.1 The Owner understands that the Agent will be unable to market the Property unless a valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is available.
13.2 The agent will provide the owner with an Energy Performance Certificate if the property does not have a valid one at the start of the contract at no additional cost to the owner on the conditions that the owner is with the agent for the whole contract length.
13.3 If the current Energy Performance Certificate expires during the course of the contract with the agent, the agent will provide one at no additional cost to the owner on the conditions that the owner is with the agent for the whole contract length
13.4 If the owner leaves during the cooling off period or at any time before the contract expires, the owner will be liable to pay the agents fees of £50.
13.5 The owner is welcome to look and instruct their own Energy Performance Certificate and not take the agents offer.
13.6 The company have the right to remove this offer at any time
