EPCs: What You Need to Know
Energy Performance Certificates are the certificates designed to record and report on the energy efficiency of a property as a building. EPCs were first introduced for the marketed sale of domestic homes, as part of the Home Information Pack. If you are buying or selling a home it is now law to have a certificate in UK.
Landlords and house owners usually spend a sizeable amount of money on property. It is imperative on part of landlords to have an Energy Performance Certificate. An commercial EPC holds significant amount of importance as it states the energy consumption of a house or building.
An EPC is intended to inform potential buyers or tenants about the energy performance of a building, so they can consider whether the property offers energy efficiency savings and thereby make an informed decision on whether to buy or occupy that building. Energy Performance Certificates (EPC) tell how energy efficient a home is on a scale of A-G. The most efficient homes – which should have the lowest fuel bills – are in band A. The average property in the UK is in bands D-E for both ratings. The Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) includes recommendations on ways to improve the home’s energy efficiency to save you money and help the environment.
The Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is based upon an assessment of the property carried out by a licensed Domestic Energy Assessor (DEA).
However, there are certain exceptions to an EPC. An EPC is not required for places of worship, temporary structures that are not scheduled to be used for more two years, industrial sites, workshops and non-residential agricultural buildings with low energy demand, standalone buildings with a gross internal area of less than 50m2 (such as a garden shed or summerhouse) and buildings that are scheduled to be demolished. If you are aware of these conditions, it becomes easier to avail an EPC.
