The energy efficient certificates are an official document that tells the energy efficiency of commercial and domestic properties. It is an important document that allows the landlords to find ways to lower their energy bills and if you have good energy rating then it also adds significant value to the property. The Energy performance certificate is issued by accredited and qualified engineers after a thorough assessment of the building.
Here is a detailed guide to EPC that will tell you everything you need to know about this important document.
When do you need an EPC?
An EPC is an important and essential document and the landlords need to know when they should get it. It is the legal obligation of the landlords to get the energy performance certificate when the building is built, rented or sold. You have to show the energy efficiency report to the potential buyers before any contract is made, so make sure that you order one before putting the property on the market.
Cost of EPC:
The cost of the EPC depends on the size and location of the property. There are a lot of companies that offer the services but before hiring you should make sure that they have good and skilled engineers because you do not want to sacrifice the comfort and safety of the building after a cheap EPC. DO some research and look at the customer reviews before hiring the services. You should also check the credentials of the engineers included in the staff of the company.
Which Buildings do Not Require an EPC?
The energy performance certificate is a necessity but there are some buildings that are not legally bound to get one. Here is a list of the buildings that do not need to get an EPC:
- The buildings that are temporary and will be used for less than two years
- The non-residential agricultural buildings and industrial sites whose energy consumption is low
- The standalone buildings whose useable floor space is less than 50 square meters
- The buildings that are scheduled to be demolished in the near future
- The holiday buildings that are used for less than four months a year or the ones that are let under the license to occupy
- The listed buildings do not need an EPC. But you should get a professional opinion about getting an EPC for these buildings from local authority conservation officer if any work is done can alter the character of the building
- All the residential buildings that are used for less than four months a year
- Worshipping places
All of the above-listed buildings are not legally required to have an EPC but if you want to get one to check the energy efficiency of the building you can always get one because it helps in improving the value of the building.
The Validity of an EPC:
It is important to know how long an EPC is valid for so that you can get a new one. The validity of commercial and domestic EPC is ten years. You will need to get a new one for the next ten years if the property is going to be rented or sold at the time that the previous certificate expires.