Energy Performance Certificates (EPC)
Smartlandlord.co.uk can help get your EPC sorted out quickly and at a competitive price. From 1 October 2008, landlords have a legal obligation to provide prospective tenants with a valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). Buy EPC now and avoid running into problems with your tenanted properties.
Product
Name |
Price
(excl. tax) |
|
| Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) |
£70.00 |
 |
|
Get your Residential Energy Performance Certificate for just £70 + VAT.
Your EPC for residential property includes:
- Inspection by a Government accredited Domestic Energy Assessor
- Energy efficiency and CO2 rating for your property
- Recommendations for energy saving improvements
- Convenient out of hours and weekends for inspections
- Certificates delivered with in 48 hours of inspection
- Fully compliant with law in order to save hefty fines
- Please note that Smartlandlord.co.uk® does not provide EPCs for commercial property at present
Download a sample EPC
Don't risk a fine of £200 or more*. Let Smartlandlord.co.uk® help you get your EPC for just £70 + VAT. |
|
 |
|
Background
| • |
From 1 October 2008, landlords have a legal obligation to provide prospective tenants with a valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC).
|
| • |
Only accredited Domestic Energy Assessors can carry out an inspection and issue an Energy Performance Certificate, using special Government approved software.
|
| • |
Energy Performance Certificates give homeowners and tenants information on the energy use and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions of a property as well as recommendations for improvements.
|
| • |
An EPC is also required when a building is converted in to fewer or more units and changes are made to the heating, hot water provision, air conditioning or ventilation services.
|
| • |
If a building is made up of a number of separate units, each with their own heating system, you will need a separate EPC for each unit.
|
| • |
Energy Performance Certificates tell owners and potential buyers and tenants about the energy efficiency of a home and how it can be improved.
|
| • |
The seller must provide you with a valid EPC when you buy a property. You are allowed to use the same EPC if you subsequently let the property to a tenant.
|
| • |
An EPC carries two separate charts: one that shows the energy efficiency rating and another that show the environment impact based on CO2 emissions of the building on a scale from ‘A’ to ‘G’, whereby ‘A’ is the best score.
|
| • |
The rating of your building is shown on the certificate in the same way as commonly used for fridges, washing machines and other domestic appliances. The average rating for residential properties since 1 October 2008 is D/E.
|
| • |
An EPC shows you the current energy and carbon emission efficiency rating as well as the rating that could be achieved if you made improvements to the property.
|
| • |
An EPC comes with a detailed recommendations report that contains advice on low-cost ways to improve the energy efficiency of the property and reduce CO2 emissions.
|
| • |
The report lists suggested improvements, such as insulating lofts, an indication of the costs savings that could be achieved if recommended improvements are made.
|
| • |
Following the recommendations can help save you money. Not only can you reduce energy consumption, but you are also likely to be eligible for government grants to make improvements to the energy efficiency of your property.
|
| • |
An EPC stays valid for ten years. You do not need to get a new EPC every time you change tenants, but you risk a £200 fixed fine if you do not have a valid EPC when you do change tenant. This fine can be repeated if you subsequently do not apply for an EPC.
|
| • |
You do not have to act on the recommendations that come with an EPC, but with energy efficiency increasingly becoming a key differentiator in the housing market, you are likely to attract more interest from buyers and tenants if you do.
|
Download a sample EPC
Terms and Conditions
Download the terms and conditions of this service
* Signing a lease contract without a valid EPC is a criminal offence in Scotland and landlords can be fined up to £5,000.
|
News Feed | 
| |
Most popular products
-
-
-
-
-
|
| |
|
| |
Most read articles
-
-
-
-
-
|
|
|
 
Q. When do I need an EPC?
A. You must be given a copy of a valid EPC whenever you are thinking of buying or renting a property. The EPC is included in the Home Information Pack (HIP) that the seller must have completed before starting to market the property. As a landlord, you must have a valid EPC before you can change tenants.
Q. When do I need to provide an EPC?
A. The Energy Performance Certificate and recommendations report must be provided free of charge by the landlord to potential new tenants at the earliest opportunity. This means:
- during a viewing of the property, even if this means that the EPC is provided before any other written information)
- whenever information on the property is provided in writing at the request of a potential tenant
- before a tenant signs a contract to rent the property.
Q. At what point do I require an EPC, i.e. before the start of the new tenancy or before the house sale?
A. Where a building is to be sold or let the owner must make a copy of a valid Energy Performance Certificate for the building available free of charge to a prospective buyer or prospective tenant. The intention is that the owner should be proactive in obtaining the EPC when putting the building up for sale or rent.
Q. If a building is leased through an agency, who is responsible for purchasing an EPC?
A. This is dependant on the contract between building owner and tenant.
Q. Will a new EPC be required at each change of tenant?
A. No the same EPC can be passed from tenant to tenant - an EPC is valid for ten years.
Q. Can an EPC be passed from buyer to buyer?
A. Yes, as long as the EPC is within its ten year period.
Q. If any refurbishments were to be made during the ten year period would my EPC still be valid?
A. Yes, however you can choose to update it at the point of refurbishment.
Q. Are there any exceptions?
A. Yes. An EPC is not required for places of worship, temporary structures that are not scheduled to be used for more two years, industrial sites, workshops and non-residential agricultural buildings with low energy demand, standalone buildings with a gross internal area of less than 50m2 (such as a garden shed or summerhouse) and buildings that are scheduled to be demolished.
Q. Are the Scottish EPC rules the same as in England?
A. No. From 4 January 2009, Scottish landlords will need to provide an EPC when a new tenancy starts. Landlords in England and Wales are required to provide a valid EPC at an earlier stage. Signing a lease contract without a valid EPC is a criminal offence in Scotland and landlords can be fined up to £5,000.
Q. If I lose my EPC, how can I obtain a copy?
A. If the property was subject to a building warrant on or after 1 May 2007, this information will be held by the local authority. If not, contact the approved organisation whose member produced the original EPC.
Q. Can I buy my Commercial EPC from Smartlandlord®?
A. No, at this time Smartlandlord® has no plans to sell EPCs for businesses.
|
|
|
Requirements for Energy Performance Certificates
In case of new developments, an EPC needs to be provided at the earliest possible point and must be available:
- When the home is viewed by prospective tenants
- If written information about the home is provided as a result of a request by a prospective tenant
- Before the tenant signs a contract to rent the home
Dos and Don'ts
Do:
- Make an EPC request if your property is to be rented to a new tenant after 1 October 2008
- Make an EPC request at least 14 days before it is needed
- Make the EPC available free of charge to any prospective tenant(s)
- If you are letting a new build property, make sure your builder gives this to you
Don't:
- Risk incurring a £200 fine for non-compliance
- Buy a new EPC every time a new tenant moves in
- Purchase an EPC if your tenant rents a room and shares facilities
- Get the inspection done by a surveyor not certified to carry out EPC inspections
- Accept a certificate that is not issued in the government approved format or does not contain the certificate number
Key dates for renewal
An EPC is valid for ten years and does not need to be renewed with each change of tenant. However, if the landlord decides to commission a new EPC on each occasion only the latest EPC will be valid.
|
|