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 Energy
Performance Certificates in Let Property - Fact File
England
and Wales
From
the 1st October 2008 all rental properties in England and
Wales with a new tenancy will be required by law to have an
Energy Performance Certificate - EPC.
An
Energy Performance Certificates tell you 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 Certificate
also tells you, on a scale of A-G, about the impact the home
has on the environment. Better-rated homes should have less
impact through carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. The average
property in the UK is in bands D-E for both ratings. The Certificate
includes recommendations on ways to improve the home's energy
efficiency to save you money and help the environment.
A
landlord (or landlord's
agent) will be required to show the EPC to prospective tenants.The
tenant will be able to see at a glance how enery efficient
and environmentally friendly a particular rental property
is.
They
will have to be provided when any written information about
the property is provided or a viewing undertaken. If neither
of these occur it must be supplied before entering into a
contract to let.
The
certificates will be valid for 10 years. If a property has
recently been purchased, it is likely to have an Energy Performance
Certificate as this has formed part of the HIP (Home Information
Pack) in England and Wales.There will be no need to get EPCs
for current tenancies or renewals to the same tenants. A tenant
cannot 'legally' move in to the property until an Energy Performance
Certificate has been produced.
How
do you obtain an Energy Performance Certificate?
A
Domestic Enerergy Assessor (DEA) will have to be found.This
can be via a letting agent, local paper, web or via one of
the Landords Associations :-
NLA
- National Landlords Association - More
information Here
Approximate
Costs:
They
are ranging between £60 and £120.
Tips
on making energy ratings as high as possible
- If
a boiler is over 15 years old consider replacing it. Consider
a combi boiler that does not store hot water in a tank.
- Consider
installing double glazing
- If
you are purchasing new appliances (washing machines etc)
look for the Energy Saving Recommended logos.
- If
your hot water tank does not have a jacket get one or replace
the tank with a built on jackrt insulation.
- Make
sure the loft is well insulated
- Consider
cavity wall insulation
Penalties
for non compliance
It
is the responsibility of local authorities, through their
Trading Standards Officers, to ensure that EPCs are in place
and they will be the body that brings any proceedings for
breach. On 8th February 2008 the Department for Communities
and Local Government warned landlords that the Government
is considering a 'fixed penalty charge' notice, which could
be as much as £200 per dwelling, per day, for any landlord
who fails to provide an up to date EPC to tenants
N.B.
This information should not be relied on for accuracy and
is presented here without the responsibility of jml Property
Service and the website it is being displayed at. ©jml property
Services 04-08
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SEE
ALSO: Energy Performance Certificates in Let Property
- 25th September 2008, 28th August 2008, 29th January 2008
-Energy
Performance Certificates Update - Commercial Properties17th
March 2008
Building
Energy Rating - Certificates in Ireland (BER)
Northern
Ireland(EPC)
HIPS are history but EPC's are not - May 2010
Diagnostic
de Performance Énergétique (DPE) - France
Changes
for BER - EPC certificates from 9th January 2013
______________________________________
Below
example of Page 1 of an Energy Performance certificate in
an English rental prioperty
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Scotland
All
tenants who rent a property on or after 4 January 2009 must
be provided with EPC (ie new tenancies) .An individual EPC
will only be valid for a period of ten years. If major works
were to be undertaken during this period, building owners
may choose to update the certificate, however, this is not
mandatory.
Legislation
for Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) for all new buildings
was introduced in Scotland on 1 May 2007. For existing buildings,
an EPC will be required when the property is sold or rented
out to new tenants. Once in place an EPC is valid for 10 years.
The
timetable for introduction is as follows:
- Sale
- dwellings - 1 December 2008
- Sale
- all other buildings- 4 January 2009
- Rental
Properties - 4 January 2009
Who
can Produce an EPC?
In Scotland, there is no specified qualification for energy
assessors.The Scottish Government has entered into protocol
with professional organisations/institutions whose members
already have an understanding of the building/energy sectors.
Only members of protocol organisations may produce EPCs for
existing buildings. The Scottish Building Standards (SBS)
has entered into protocols with The Chartered Institution
of Building Services Engineers, Scotland (CIBSE Scotland),
The Association of Building Engineers (ABE), The Energy Institute
(EI), The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS),
The Heating and Ventilation Contractors Association (HVCA),
Building Research Establishment (BRE), National Energy Services
(NES) and Elmhurst to deliver services in relation to Energy
Performance Certificates.
Types
of Certificate:Two certificates have been produced, one
for dwellings and one for all other buildings (this includes
‘Public Buildings’). The certificates can be accessed here:
More
information at http://www.sbsa.gov.uk/epc.htm
© Crown copyright information on Scottish Energy Performance
Certificates jml Property Services
hold a Core Licence Number C02W0008738
Scottish
government not delivering for landlords - 19 Nov 2008
NLA
Scotland has accused the Scottish Government of failing landlords
on the forthcoming introduction of Energy Performance Certificate
(EPC) legislation.
With
less than two months until the introduction of EPCs for Scottish
rental properties, the Government is failing to meet its duty
to ensure that all landlords are aware of the new regulations.
NLA
Scotland is concerned that without a concerted effort to promote
EPCs, there will be widespread confusion among landlords and
tenants about what is required under the new rules. From 4
January 2009, landlords who do not make an EPC available to
tenants at the start of a new tenancy could be hit with a
fine of £5,000 and will have committed a criminal offence.
The
introduction of EPCs for the Scottish private-rented sector
means that prospective tenants must be given details of the
energy efficiency and environmental impact of the property.
NLA Scotland, which provides certificates through NLA EPCs,
is calling on the Scottish Government to promote the new EPC
rules as soon as possible.
Jim
Parker, Chairman, NLA Scotland, said: "It is disappointing
to see Scottish Government failing in its duty to keep landlords
informed. The promotion of EPCs seems to have been left to
the commercial providers and a significant number of landlords
will be blissfully unaware of the risks of not complying with
the new rules.
"All
landlords starting new tenancies will need to get an EPC or
face severe penalties. If the Government does not act soon
to promote the legislation, thousands of landlords could find
themselves unknowingly breaking the law and fined to the tune
of £5,000.”
For
more information about NLA EPCs, go to www.scottishlandlords.org.
Source
NLA - National Landlords Association
NLA
- National Landlords Association - More
information Here
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Northern
Ireland
Energy
Performance Certificates will be required for all property
sales and rentals by the end of December 2008. Homes and commercial
- when sold, built or rented will need an energy performance
certificate (EPC). Public buildings will also need to display
a display energy performance certificate (DEC). This initiative
is the result of European legislation - the Energy Performance
of Buildings Directive - which all member states must adopt.
The
Department of Finance and Personnel is introducing measures
in Northern Ireland to improve the energy efficiency of our
buildings, including:
- introducing
energy performance certificates for properties providing
A-G efficiency ratings and recommendations for improvement
- requiring
public buildings to display energy certificates
- requiring
inspections for air conditioning systems and
- giving
advice and guidance for boiler users
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France
Diagnostic
de Performance Energétique - DPE (Energy Performance Survey)
From the 1st July 2007, these are mandatory for all sales.
This survey is provided purely for information purposes (like
in England
and Wales, Scotland,
Northern
Ireland and The
Republic of Ireland) and covers levels of energy consumption
and greenhouse gas emissions. Properties are rated from A
to G (A represents optimal performance) and the survey is
valid for 10 years. It also includes recommendations for improving
energy consumption Article L134.L of the Building and Housing
Code. If you are letting out your property remember
The DPE - Diagnostic de Performance Énergétique should accompany
any new or renewed lease agreement for a lease period of longer
than four months. It is the responsibility of the property
owner to have a building examined and to make any obligatory
improvements.
Diagnostic
de Performance Énergétique (DPE)
Back
to Property Information
See
also:
Statutory
code of Practise on racial equality in housing
ARLA’s
Response to the Law Commission Report - August 2008 and
The
Law CommissionHousing: Encouraging Responsible Letting
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