Epc certificate what is it

The Energy Assessor will need to access all rooms as well as the loft. They are also required to inspect heating systems and controls, take measurements and take photographs of all key data included in the survey. The survey is non invasive and a visual inspection is all that is required. You can ask the assessor how long he expects to be as the time varies between properties. Energy Assessors can input this information on site or at home, to produce an Energy Performance Certificate which is lodged to the central register.

If you have the report reference number RRN or an address, you can easily retrieve an EPC by going to the appropriate register. Fill out our short contact form below if you would like to find out more about the information displayed on this page. Receive the latest industry news, training, offers and energy assessment updates straight to your inbox. A few details will help us to send information relevant to you!

If you just want to receive our Energy Matters publication you can sign up for this below. Marketplace Insurance Members Login. With better insulation, more energy-efficient lighting and other measures taken to improve the energy efficiency of the property, you should end up paying less in energy costs. However, you should still ensure that you're switching your supplier whenever you feel as though you may be paying too much for your gas and electricity.

Since costs vary, it is worth shopping around and comparing a few different quotes — as long as you make sure your assessor is registered. You can often lower the energy performance certificate cost by getting your assessment done directly rather than through an estate agent.

You can find an assessor in your area by checking on the EPD register. If you are looking to sell or rent your property then you absolutely need an EPC certificate. The only exceptions are specialised buildings, such as churches, temporary buildings and listed properties. Bear in mind that a lot of newer properties may already have an EPC certificate, and may also be very energy efficient.

Prospective landlords looking to rent their property must also have an EPC available for tenants to view. If they fail to produce one, they could face a fine. The only other situation where you need an EPC certificate is if you are looking to receive payments under the Feed-in Tariff scheme for solar panels. It's in your interests, whether selling or buying, to lower the EPC rating of your property as much as possible, and the only way to do that is to improve the energy efficiency of your home.

Simple steps like ensuring you have adequate loft insulation installed, investigating whether cavity-wall insulation is suitable for your property, and installing draught-proofing measures around doors, windows, fireplaces and letterboxes, should be your first steps.

Read more in our simple guide to home insulation. An EPC is legally required whenever a property is constructed, sold or rented. An EPC is valid for ten years, but once it has expired, there is no legal requirement to renew until the property is either let to new tenants or sold.

There are various resources online for those who have questions about an EPC. Three of the key places to look are:. The document includes estimated energy costs, as well as a summary of your home's energy performance-related features. EPCs also include recommendations on measures that would make your home more energy-efficient, along with estimated costs for implementing the changes and the potential savings you could make. Your property will be given an energy-efficiency grade between A and G, with A being the best - ie most energy-efficient - and G being the worst.

New-build homes tend to have high EPC ratings, while older homes often have lower ratings of around D or E. It's the seller's or landlord's responsibility to arrange an EPC, but it's still important that you - as the buyer or tenant - see and understand the certificate. It's a legal requirement to have an energy performance certificate for your home before you sell it. This can be arranged through your estate agent or directly with an EPC provider.

Make sure you receive an EPC from the seller. You can use its recommendations to inform any renovations you might want to carry out, or even to try and negotiate the property price.

If you're a buy-to-let landlord, it is now a legal requirement that your property has an EPC rating of E or above before you can take on a new tenant or renew an existing contract. By , this rule will apply to all properties with existing tenancies, too. Ensure your landlord sends you an EPC before you move in, and use the cost breakdown to help plan your budget.

An EPC will list ways to improve your rating and give indicative costs. These improvements will help you, your buyer or your tenants save on bills, and lessen the environmental impact of the property. You can use the EPC register in several ways. Using the register's EPC retrieval page , you can search for a property's energy performance certificate by postcode. This is useful for looking up your own certificate, or for finding the certificate of a property you are considering moving into.

If your property doesn't already have an EPC, you'll need to get one before you can sell. Many people do this via their estate agent for convenience, but this is generally the pricier option. To save money by arranging your EPC independently, search the EPC register's assessor page to find an accredited domestic energy assessor. They were first introduced in England and Wales in so, depending on when you moved in, your property may already have a valid certificate. Use the EPC register's look-up tool to check if you have one - and, if so, whether it's still valid.

While all homes need to have an EPC before they can be sold or let, there's no benefit in choosing a more expensive provider, so make sure you shop around for the best deal. Going directly to a domestic energy assessor rather than getting one through an estate agent is generally cheaper. If you're selling in Scotland, you'll need to get a Home Report. Home Reports include an EPC known as an energy report , a house survey and a property questionnaire.

It's worth getting a quote from your estate agent and a registered surveyor for the survey and energy report. The Scottish government website provides a list of EPC-approved organisations. Homeowners in Scotland have to display the EPC somewhere in their property, for example by the boiler.