An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is a legally valid document which provides an energy efficiency rating (displayed on an A-G scale) in relation to a property’s running costs. An EPC can only be produced by a qualified Domestic Energy Assessor, which always involves a physical inspection of the property. This rating will take into account the potential energy performance of the property itself (the fabric) and its services (heating, lighting, hot water etc).
In addition to this, the EPC shows the following
- A breakdown of a property’s energy performance
- the property’s environmental impact
- improvement recommendations
- estimated energy usage alongside potential savings
In order for you to be able to compare the energy efficiency of different properties. We assume a standard occupancy for all properties. This means that we work our calculations on an agreed basis of how many people live in the property, the time and temperature of the different rooms in the property. These assumptions are the same regardless of the property type and size.
When do you need an EPC?
Our EPC Pricing
An EPC is required in the UK whenever a property is marketed for sale or rent. The EPC is valid for 10 years or until a newer EPC is produced for the same property. It is recommended that a property’s EPC should be made available to potential buyers as soon as it is marketed for sale or rent. Currently, you can be fined £200 for not having an EPC.
What’s involved?
The EPC must be produced by an accredited Domestic Energy Assessor (DEA) and this will always involve a physical inspection, both internally and externally. The DEA will visit your property to collect property information and data such as room dimensions, insulation levels, heating systems and amount of glazing.
The assessor will need access to all rooms, including the loft as they will need to take measurements and photos to support their assessment. The domestic energy assessment is non invasive, with no drilling or hammering into walls. If you have information about the property, that might not be obvious from a visual inspection, this can be very useful information and could mean that you get a better energy rating. Depending on the size or complexity of the property a typical assessment can take between 30 mins and 2 hours to complete.
EPCs in Scotland will typically be printed and provided to you, however for the rest of the UK the EPC will be provided via an online link.
If you are selling or renting out your home, then you must now have an Energy Performance Certificate.
Efficiency Rating – An Energy Performance Certificate gives an indication of how much it costs to run the property in terms of providing heat and hot water, by way of an easy to understand efficiency rating.
Environmental Impact – It also provides an idea about how much carbon (in tonnes) the property uses, compared to the average and also how much less could be used if recommendations were made.
Recommendations – The report will show you a number of recommendations from low cost to high cost measures and how this will improve the properties efficiency. It includes approximate costs and also potential yearly savings.
Do I need to use my Estate Agent?
No, you can use any suitably qualified Domestic Energy Assessor to produce an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) for you. Typically, an Estate Agent will charge between £90 & £120 for the EPC. Using an Independent Assessor will normally be much cheaper.
What Areas do we Cover?
We cover all the Halifax & Huddersfield postcodes and most of the Bradford, Wakefield & Leeds postcodes.