Energy Performance Certificates

Energy Performance Certificates help the buyer to see how efficient your home is and are needed whenever a property is:

• Built
• Sold
• Rented

Energy Performance Certificates (EPC's) give potential buyers an upfront look at how energy efficient your property is, how it can be improved and how much money this could save.

EPC’s for homes were first introduced in 2007,and are legally required if our are selling your property.

The EPC must at least have been commissioned when you put your home on the market and undertaken within 7 days of advertising – you can arrange it through us or directly or with an EPC provider.

EPC's were also introduced to the rental market in 2008. In most cases, landlords marketing their properties for rent must have an EPC available for prospective tenants to view or risk a fine.

What information does an EPC provide?

An EPC is valid for 10 years and shows how good – or bad – the energy efficiency of your property is. It grades the property’s energy efficiency from A to G, with A being the highest rating.

If you have a brand-new home, it’s likely to have a high rating. If you have an older home, it is likely to be around D or E.

The Energy Performance Certificate also lists ways to improve the rating - such as installing double glazing or loft, floor or wall insulation for example.

The theory is that the better the rating your property gets, the more attractive it should be to a tenant or buyer as it indicates lower energy bills.

Changes to EPCs for the Green Deal

The Government's 'Green Deal' scheme started in February 2013 and EPC’s have changed as a result. The Green Deal is an initiative that enables you to borrow money to make energy-saving improvements to your home, which will be repaid through your gas and electricity bills.

The Green Deal has a clause called the 'Golden Rule'. This means that the repayments of the money you've borrowed will not exceed the savings you make from the improvements to your home. If you move home, the Green Deal and any repayments will be passed to the new owner of the home and will not move with you.

Energy-saving advice on EPC's

To reflect the introduction of the Green Deal, EPC’s have been updated to make it much clearer to consumers how much they might save from making greener home improvements.

Features of the new certificate include the following.

1. Potential costs of heating, lighting and hot water after home improvements made.
2. Total potential savings and the potential energy performance rating you might receive after making improvements to your home.
3. Recommended actions to take (such as increasing loft insulation and draught proofing).
4. The potential cost of undertaking these improvements and the typical saving over a three-year period.
5. Whether or not the recommended actions are available under the Green Deal. 

If the recommendations in the EPC are available under the Green Deal, you will see a green tick next to them. If you have to pay money unfront, you will see an amber tick next to the measure.

Company Director Darren Howes is a fully qualified Domestic Energy Assessor and is on hand to give any advice needed.  Please email Darren at darren@howesestates.co.uk for more information.