What is an EPC (Energy Performance Certificate)?
An EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) is a document that provides an assessment of a property’s energy efficiency. The EPC includes a rating from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient) and is valid for 10 years, It is required by law for residential properties that are sold, rented or built. The EPC assessment checks factors such as insulation, heating systems, lighting, hot water systems and heat loss to provide recommendations for improving energy efficiency.
Why is an EPC Inspection required?
An EPC inspection is required to assess a property’s energy efficiency and to provide a rating that can be used by property owners and tenants to identify areas for improvement and energy consumption of the property. The EPC inspection can help identify areas to reduce energy bills and carbon footprint. It is also required by law for properties being rented or sold in the UK.
What will be checked during an EPC Inspection?
During an EPC inspection, the assessor will check the following
- Make up and fabric of the building
- Windows and their energy efficiency
- Lighting
- The make up and insulation levels of the roof
- Space heating used in the property
- Hot water systems
Pre-Inspection Checklist for Property Owners and Tenants:
What preparation would help us create an accurate EPC for your property:
Full access to all elevations of the property (front, side, rear) is required
Full access to all rooms in the property, including lofts, basements,
cupboards, gardens, corridors, stairs, etc. for measurements
Full access to all heating and lighting fixtures and fittings, including
boilers and hot water cylinders, room thermostats, heating and hot water timers
Full access to the electricity supply meter
Full access to gas meter cupboard
All doors and windows must be unlocked
Make sure any animals, children are safe and adequately supervised during
the visit to maintain the safety of the assessor and others
Any manufacturer’s manuals or product literature which may assist in confirming heating system’s age, make, model, band, etc. should be made
available to the energy assessor
Any planning approval or building control notification letters confirming the age of any outbuildings, annexes, extensions, etc., should be made available
If there is a loft conversion–any building regulations completion certificates
confirming the loft conversion
Please note that if the energy assessor cannot collect and enclose any evidence of property upgrades and modifications and if no additional information is made available, the assessment will proceed on the basis of the default values built into the official energy rating methodology, i.e., RDSAP. These defaults are pessimistic, so if evidence is available to allow the assessor to override them, a better EPC rating usually results.