Energy Performance Certificates, or EPCs, explained
6th February 2023 by John Munro
We take a look at Energy Performance Certificates, including why you need one, where you can get one and what they mean.
If you are selling your house or flat, you are legally required to supply potential purchasers with an Energy Performance Certificate. This gives information about the energy efficiency of your property and is supplied to the buyer early on in the transaction, usually with the estate agent’s particulars.
What is an Energy Performance Certificate?
An Energy Performance Certificate or EPC is a document that gives your home an energy efficiency rating, from A to G, with A being the most energy efficient. It became a legal requirement to obtain an EPC in 2008.
As well as being required when you sell, it is also a legal requirement for landlords to have a valid EPC. Landlords need to have a minimum of an E rating for properties they will be letting. This is being increased to a C rating from 1 April 2025.
Where a seller or a landlord does not have an EPC, they could be fined up to £5,000. The potential fine for landlords will increase to £30,000 from 2025.
As well as an energy rating, the EPC gives recommendations for saving energy as well as the estimated cost of carrying out works to improve energy efficiency and how much the potential savings could be.
Supplying an Energy Performance Certificate
If your property does not already have an EPC, you need to commission one before you let it out or it is put on the market. Once the property goes on the market, you or your estate agent are required to use all reasonable efforts to ensure that the EPC is available within seven days. A further 21 days is allowed if after using all reasonable efforts an EPC has still not been prepared.
How to request an Energy Performance Certificate
The EPC survey must be carried out by an accredited domestic energy assessor. You can find an assessor in your area by using the government’s EPC register. Your estate agent may offer to arrange this for you.
The assessor will need access to all of the rooms in your property as well as the loft space. They will also inspect heating systems, the glazing and the roof construction as well as looking at the type of building, for example whether it is detached or terraced, the age of the building, the material from which it is constructed, the size of the building and alterations such as extensions or loft conversions.
An EPC is valid for ten years, so if you bought your property recently, you may already have an EPC that you can use. You can check this on the government’s website on their ‘Find an energy certificate’ page by entering your postcode.
If you have upgraded anything which could make a difference to the rating, you may want to pay for a new certificate as a higher rating will make your property more attractive to buyers.
Energy improvements
Your EPC will note any improvements that you could consider. Recommendations could include:
- Loft insulation
- Cavity wall insulation
- Floor insulation
- Low energy lighting
- Heating controls (room thermostat)
- Replacing boiler with a heat pump system
- Solar water heating
- Solar panels
- Installing a smart meter
Contact us
If you are thinking of selling a property and you would like to speak to one of our expert conveyancing lawyers, please contact Kelly Howe on k.howe@laceyssolicitors.co.uk or 01202 377800.
John Munro
Partner — Commercial and Residential Property
Direct dial: 01202 377839
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“John Munro was friendly and very approachable, advising me with a clear depth of knowledge and experience. I have since recommended him and will do so if asked in the future.”
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“Having dealt with Laceys on many a sale and purchase I’ve always found them to be efficient, knowledgeable and attentive. I wouldn’t hesitate in recommending them to family, friends and clients.”
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“We have always been very happy with the service provided by Laceys Solicitors, in both our business legal requirements and domestic property conveyancing.”
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“You are our solicitor Superhero! Very grateful. ”
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“Changing solicitors is not to be undertaken lightly. However really impressed with the way that John Munro and his associates have dealt with us over the last couple of years in a variety of complex property related transactions and on the commercial and personal front as well. We look forward to working with them going forward.”
John joined Laceys in 2001 on a training contract, having completed a Post Graduate Diploma in Law in 2000, and qualified as a solicitor in 2003. He is now the Head of the Commercial and Residential Property Departments.
He is also the firm’s Senior Responsible Officer under the Law Society Conveyancing Quality Scheme (CQS) with overall responsibility for the management of the property team and their delivery of the excellent service that our clients have come to expect.
John acts in his own capacity for a number of commercial property owners, developers and investors, but also allocates time to ensure his team are up to speed with changing law and professional regulations and clients are provided with members of the team who possess the right skills to deal with their individual requirements, delivering projects in the most time and cost-efficient manner.
Outside of work John seems to spend a great deal of time ferrying his children around but occasionally gets to put his feet up and listen to his eclectic collection of vinyl. He is also not averse to a good cheeseboard and a glass of IPA.
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