Landlords do you have your Energy Performance Certificates (EPC) ready?

EPCs are a starting point to improving energy efficiency. Many of our buildings, especially older housing stock, will receive lower ratings. The intention is to encourage property owners to move to the next level, enabling people to take simple and easy first steps to saving energy and reducing waste.

If you are not already aware, as from 1st October 2008, if you are renting out property you will need to provide a Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) to any prospective tenant. However, there is no need to obtain a certificate for existing tenants. The certificate is valid for 10 years but can be renewed earlier if the landlord wishes to reflect any improvements made. If a valid certificate exists when changing tenants no new certificate is required. It will be the landlord's responsibility to make the EPC available to all prospective tenants.

The certificate provides 'A' to 'G' ratings for the building, with 'A' being the most energy efficient and 'G' being the least, with the average up to now being 'D'. Accredited energy assessors produce EPCs alongside an associated report, which suggests improvements to make a building more energy efficient.

EPCs are only required for self-contained properties i.e. a property with its own bathroom, kitchen and entrance. Houses of multiple occupancy will also require EPCs, but only when the whole dwelling is rented out or sold; an EPC is not required if tenants renting rooms have separate contracts with the landlord.

There is no fine for getting a lower rating. You will only be fined for failing to comply with the law, and not showing an EPC to a new tenant. The EPC has no requirements, just recommendations to make improvements. If you want to act on your recommendations, there are grants and incentives available to do so.

The EPC and recommendation report must be made available free of charge by a landlord to a prospective tenant at the earliest opportunity and no later than: when any written information about the building is provided in response to a request for information received from the prospective tenant; or when a viewing is conducted; or if neither of those occur, before entering into a contract to sell or let.

An Energy Performance Certificate does not have to be made available if the landlord believes that the prospective tenant is unlikely to have sufficient funds to purchase or rent the property or is not genuinely interested in renting that type of property; or the landlord is unlikely to be prepared to rent out the property to the prospective or tenant (although this does not authorize unlawful discrimination) EPCs can only be produced by accredited energy assessors. They may be employed by a company (such as an estate agent of energy company) or be independent traders. Always check they operate as part of an accreditation scheme, as this ensures your energy assessor is operating to professional standards.

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