General important information about EPC
If you want to construct a building or sell it, you need to ensure that you have the right energy performance certificate. The EPC rating of a building is very important and it can make the difference between selling a property and not having the means/tools to do so in an adequate manner.
What is the role of the energy performance certificate?
The EPC rating is very important because it shows the energy efficiency of your home. Its ratings are from A to G, with A being the most efficient and G being the least efficient. It’s very important to know the rating, but also identify ways to improve EPC, especially if you plan on selling your home. The energy performance certificate was introduced in the UK in 2007 as an effort to help promote energy efficiency.
What’s measured via the EPC rating?
The main focus of the energy performance certificate is to help assess the energy efficiency of your home. It’s also designed to study the environmental impact, and in this case a property with the A rating generates less CO2 when compared to the F or G rated properties. The average household in the UK is generating 6 tons of CO2, but with the right changes it can end up generating significantly less than that.
You will have different EPC ratings for commercial properties when compared to the residential ones. That’s because there are different things to assess for each property type. However, in both cases the EPC is valid for 10 years.
Is the EPC mandatory?
Not everyone needs to have an energy performance certificate, but in some cases is mandatory. For a commercial property, the owner needs an EPC if they want to sell/rent the building. They also need one if the building was under construction and now it was finished, or if there were some changes made to the various ventilation, AC or heating systems.
In the case of residential EPCs, you need the energy performance certificate if you want to sell the property, or if you want to rent it. When it comes to rentals, you need at least the E rating, but if you want to sell the property, there’s no specific rating to focus on. So yes, EPC for landlords is mandatory, but there’s no need for a specific rating when you sell, only if you’re renting the property.
What is the cost of EPC?
The EPC price will vary based on location and other factors. However, if you live in a small town and have a small property, the price is around £35, but it can go up to £120 for a property in a larger city. Additionally, not everyone is able to issue an EPC. You will need to work with an accredited assessor, and you can find those here. Keep in mind that they need to visit the property and assess everything to ensure you receive a fair rating.
Conclusion
As you can see, the energy performance certificate is very important if you want to sell or rent a property. Thankfully, once you receive the EPC rating, the certificate is valid for 10 years. Make sure you work with an accredited assessor, just to ensure there are no problems!