Whether you’re a homeowner, a landlord or a commercial property owner, if you’re based in the UK, as of August 1st 2007, you’re required to have an up to date energy performance certificate. Those without are subject to hefty fines and penalties. However, it doesn’t have to be a hassle getting your EPC survey done, it can be very straightforward. Here’s what it involves.
What is an EPC Survey?
All homeowners, landlords and property owners in the UK are required by law to have an up to date EPC, as of August 1st 2007. An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is essentially a study of your properties energy efficiency, and CO2 emissions. It details aspects of your properties energy efficiency, highlighting shortcomings, and grading the building from ‘A’, the best, to ‘G’, the worst. The average property coming in at roughly ‘C’ or ‘D’.
Why You Need One
If you’re a homeowner, a landlord or manage a commercial property with over 50m2 of floor space, then you legally need a current EPC. EPC grades can determine a properties rental and resale value and attractiveness, as well as there being fines and penalties for property owners caught without one.
An EPC certificate is valid for ten years, after which you need a new one. If you’re selling or renting the property, you need to perform an EPC survey, with penalties and fines of £200 for those who fail to do this. In order to avoid hefty fines and hassle, you need to make absolutely sure your home, rental let, or commercial property has an up to date EPC. It’s not that much hassle or cost to sort out, so save yourself a whole bundle of trouble and hassle, and get a company in.
What Does It Involve?
First off you need to find the right company to carry out the EPC survey. With the mass of reviews out there online nowadays, as well as such a great array of different companies available online, this shouldn’t be any trouble. Make sure you read several reviews, and find a fully accredited company, with reasonable prices. Like anything, don’t go too cheap, but the prices shouldn’t be astronomical.
Next make contact with the company, and discuss the size of your property and book an EPC survey. What happens now is that they’ll send in a specialist who’ll examine your entire property, taking note of key features like low energy lighting, wall cavity insulation, loft space insulation, modern heating systems, such as solar, and roof solar panelling. These affect your overall grading, energy efficiency and CO2 emissions.
The whole procedure is relatively quick, stress and hassle free, and is completely non-invasive. There’s no drilling or anything like that, you don’t need to worry about your home or property being at all damaged or tampered with. After it’s been performed, checked and the data has been correlated and studied, you get a grade rating and your EPC is complete for another decade. It made be very necessary, but it’s also very straightforward, easy and nowhere near as expensive as you might guess.
If you found this article useful. Take a look at our most recent post about EPC Certificate Changes In London.
