ENERGY PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATES - Landlord FAQ's

Why do I need an Energy Performance Certificate for my rental property?
You may be aware of Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) in relation to Home Information
Packs (HIPS); however the EPC is part of a much larger programme initiated by the EU called the
Energy of Buildings Directive (EBPD). The EU made this directive law and as such every EU
Country must have systems in place, by the end of this year, for EPCs to be carried out on all
residential and commercial buildings at point of sale or rent.

The UK Government have already implemented this in the sales process of residential property
via Home Information Packs.
The role out to residential property rentals is already underway; however, it will become
mandatory to have an EPC for property being marketed for rent on October 1st 2008.
Under these new rules, landlords will need to provide an EPC to all prospective tenants and
provide a hard copy to the selected tenant. However, you will not need to provide an EPC to
tenants that renew their contracts as it is not necessary to supply an EPC to an existing tenant.
The EPC is intended to help prospective tenants compare the energy efficiency of various
properties.

What is included in the EPC?
There are two ratings on the front page of the EPC: The Energy Efficiency Rating and the
Environmental Impact (C02) Rating. Both are based on a scale of A to G, where A is the best. In
addition the front page also shows an estimate of the energy required to provide heating,
lighting and hot water, which includes an estimated cost to tenants.

The certificate also includes a Recommendation Report which will outline any potential
improvements that would make a difference to the energy consumption of the building. This
includes details of the approximate cost of improvements and the difference each
improvement would make to the performance rating and the impact this would have on the
cost of energy provision for the property.

The inspection will include assessment of the construction, heating/hot water, windows and
insulation of the property. All of this information will be fed into a computer, which will
calculate ratings and generate a certificate.

Where do I get my EPCs and how much will they cost?
EPCs are carried out by our fully qualified and accredited Domestic Energy Assessors (DEAs) and
vary in cost. Each property will require an EPC which will
last for 10 years.

We are very competitive within the market place with prices starting from £50 +VAT  for a full EPC delivered within 3 working days from receipt of instruction.