FAQs

What is an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)?
An Energy Performance Certificate provides an official energy rating for a property. It shows its energy efficiency and its environmental impact on a scale from A-G (where A is the most efficient and G the least efficient). It also contains recommendations for how to improve the building's energy performance.

When is an EPC required?
Virtually all buildings in the UK that are constructed, sold or rented out must have an Energy Performance Certificate. An EPC should be ordered before a property is marketed for sale or rent and it should be made available to prospective buyers or tenants. There are consequences for failing to comply with this legislation.

What is the assessment procedure?
In most cases it involves an energy surveyor visiting the property to carry out a survey. The information they collect is then used to create the certificate and recommendation report using Government approved Simplified Building Energy Model (SBEM) Software.

In general terms the assessment is primarily interested in the efficiency details of the heating and hot water provision for the property and secondly in the structure characteristics of the building including walls, floors, roof and glazing type present. Dimensions of the property will be taken to ascertain the floor area and floor heights.

Photographs are taken during the assessment. These photographs are not made public and are purely to support the assessor's notes. In the unlikely event that you are not happy with photographs being taken please make the assessor aware of this upon arrival at your property.

How long does an EPC assessment take?
Around 45mins to 1 hour for a typical 3-bed house. The time taken to survey a property in order to produce an Energy Performance Certificate for a residential property can vary and is often dependant upon factors such as size and how extensively it has been modified since it was originally built.

The surveyor will measure the area of the property and record information about its construction, heating and lighting systems. They require access to all rooms in the property and to the basement and loft space where applicable.

Complex properties with one or more extensions can take longer.

Will my current spending on energy bills be taken into account?
The estimated energy bill calculations on the EPC are based on standardised living conditions and not on the individual owner's lifestyle. This allows benchmark comparisons between properties of a similar type. It is relevant to keep in mind that the survey is focussed upon general factors affecting the energy use by the building as opposed to the actions of the current occupier.

Will I invalidate the EPC if I carry out changes to the property and do I have to undertake the recommended work?
Making changes to the property does not invalidate the EPC but will impact the scores shown and the recommendations made. If you do make changes to the property after the EPC is produced you may be wise to point out to perspective buyers that you have made the changes and therefore increased the energy efficiency rating to that stated.

If you make significant changes you ought to consider getting the certificate updated in order that the EPC fully represents the property as it is now.

Will you need to lift floorboards?
The assessment is based on a visual inspection only and therefore there is no need to remove or move fixtures. Access will be needed to all rooms including the loft and any cellar as well as access to the boiler, heating controls, hot-water storage and gas/electric meters. Usually, inspecting the loft is the most intrusive aspect of the survey.

I know I have loft insulation but it is hidden under boards?
Every reasonable effort is made to identify where insulation is installed including cavities and loft. Where no access is possible it will be necessary for the owner to provide an installation certificate or guarantee/warrantee as evidence.

I want to check the energy efficiency rating of my house but I am not looking to sell yet?
It is possible to arrange an EPC at any time and if you are not moving you will benefit from finding out how good your home is in terms of generating and retaining the heat energy used and what improvements could be made to reduce your energy bills.

Are you fully insured?
Absolutely. All accredited energy assessors are required to carry Public Indemnity and Public Liability insurance.

How is the EPC supplied?
The EPC is supplied as an electronic document in PDF format. It will also be lodged on the Government-owned national database. It is possible to download a copy of the certificate at a later date using a reference number unique to each EPC.