Energy Performance Certificates (EPC)

What is an energy performance certificate (EPC)?

Under Article 7 of the European Directive on the Energy Performance of Buildings, a building which is sold, rented out or constructed must have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). This must be issued by a qualified and accredited assessor in an independent manner. Once produced an EPC is valid for ten years.

The EPC will rank the energy efficiency of a property from A (very efficient) to G (not very efficient). The certificate is accompanied by recommendations on how to improve energy efficiency.

If the property has an E rating or higher, you can choose whether to have these improvements carried out or not. However, if the property has an F or G rating then you will need to carry out the requirements to bring it up to an E rating, or spend £3500 on suitable improvements to qualify for an exemption from the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards.