As of October 2008 EPCs are required by law whenever a building is built, sold or rented out. The certificate provides 'A' to 'G' ratings for the building, with 'A' being the most energy efficient and 'G' being the least.
The EPC is part of a series of measures introduced across Europe to reflect legislation which will help cut buildings’ carbon emissions and tackle climate change.
F.A.Q.
How long is an EPC valid for?
All EPCs are valid for 10 years. However, if the property has had structural changes since the previous EPC i.e. an extension, then a new EPC will need to be produced for renting/selling purposes.
How much does an EPC cost?
The price of an EPC is set by the market and will depend on the size and location of your property.
When will you receive an EPC?
By law you should receive an EPC in the following cases:
Buying a home
All sellers of homes need to ensure that they provide an EPC, free of charge to potential buyers.
Buying a newly built property
Buyers of newly built properties should receive an EPC, free of charge.
Renting a property
If you are interested in renting a property, the landlord must make an EPC available to you free of charge. However, you don’t need an EPC if you are just renting a room with shared facilities rather than renting the whole property.
If you are not in one of the above categories
Even if you don’t fall into the above categories, you can still apply for and receive an EPC from an energy assessor. This may be because you want to know how energy efficient your home is, and make improvements suggested by the recommendation report.
If you require an EPC or advice relating to EPCs please contact our office on 020 7792 4366 or 020 7727 0619.