An EPC gives Home Owners, Business Premises Owners, Tenants and prospective buyers an assessment of a property performance rating in terms of its energy efficiency and environmental impact, to help reduce CO2 output.

EPCs assess buildings by giving them a standard energy and carbon emission efficiency grade from ‘A’ to ‘G’, where ‘A’ is the most efficient.

EPC’s were originally part of the Home information pack (HIP), however the requirement for a HIP was suspended on 21 May 2010 albeit the energy performance certificate element was retained.

EPC Update for Tenanted Properties:

From the 1st April 2018 there will be a requirement for any properties rented out in the private rented sector to normally have a minimum energy performance rating of E on an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). The regulations will come into force for new lets and renewals of tenancies with effect from 1st April 2018 and for all existing tenancies on 1st April 2020. It will be unlawful to rent a property which breaches the requirement for a minimum E rating, unless there is an applicable exemption. A civil penalty of up to £4,000 will be imposed for breaches.

An EPC is valid for 10 years.

Selling or Letting your Home or Commercial property with an EPC is a legal requirement.

There are some specific exemptions – (www.gov.uk/buy-sell-your-home/energy-performance-certificates)

All “reasonable efforts” must be made to ensure that an EPC is obtained within 7 days of marketing the property. (Where it has not been secured during that period, there is an absolute duty to obtain it within 21 days of the end of that period.)