EPC Guide

1. What is an EPC?

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The purpose of an Energy Performance Certificate is to assess and communicate a property's energy efficiency.

An EPC provides a rating from A to G indicating the home's energy performance - A is very efficient and G is very inefficient.

An EPC is valid for up to 10 years and also contains a Recommendations Report, providing a list of ways in which a property's energy performance could be improved.

If you are letting or selling a property, an EPC is legally required as a stand-alone document.

2. Why EPCs were introduced

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Buildings are responsible for around 40% of the UK's energy consumption and carbon emissions. EPCs have been introduced in a bid to reduce the energy consumption and carbon emissions caused by UK homes.

Energy Performance Certificates provide information on a property's energy efficiency and tips on how to improve it - the better the rating, the lower the running costs. This is good news for the tenant and could act as beneficial marketing tool for landlords when marketing their rental properties.

3. What an EPC tells you

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The EPC shows two ratings; the energy efficiency rating and the environmental rating.

• The energy efficiency rating indicates the property's running costs.
• The environmental impact rating is based on how much carbon dioxide the property is responsible for releasing.

An EPC also includes:

• An estimated energy use report indicating the estimated costs for lighting, heating and hot water.
• A summary of the home's parts which have an impact on the overall performance rating.
• A recommendations report detailing the measures one could take to improve the energy performance of the property. This also identifies the approximate financial savings that could be made from making these changes.

4. EPCs – information for landlords

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As a landlord you have a legal obligation to obtain an EPC for your property before it is marketed to tenants.

You should contact an EPC provider at least 14 days before you intend to market your property to avoid possible penalty charges.

5. How to improve a property's energy efficiency rating

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The recommendations report included within the EPC lists the improvement measures which you can undertake to enhance the property's energy efficiency rating.

Tenants can also adapt the way they live in a property to help to reduce the amount of energy used. Turning down the heating thermostat, remembering to switch off lights, using low energy light bulbs and draught proofing will contribute towards saving energy.