Energy Performance Certificates (EPC)

Energy Performance Certificates (EPC)

This is the timescale for the future of EPC’s in relation to letting property

From 2016 a tenant will be entitled to ask the landlord to carry out the measure recommended on the EPC and the landlord will have a legal obligation to do so if the EPC rating is below an E

From 2018 it will be illegal to let a property which has an EPC rating below E

We must all have an EPC assessment carried out on any property that we are going to offer for let or sale this must be commission before we begin to market the property the onus to do this remains on the ‘relevant person’ (the seller or landlord)
The EPC rating must be stated in all advertising.
We must show every prospective tenant the EPC at the viewing to enable them to assess the cost of fuel that they will use if they take the property
We must give a copy of the EPC to each tenant at the start of the tenancy so that they have a permanent record to keep
Before 2016 we should all carry out measures recommended by the assessor on the EPC and have the property re-assessed and re-rated to show that we have done so, this is not a legal requirement but it will enable us to have work carried out as part of planned maintenance and when the property is unoccupied if we choose to do so.
By 2016 we must be prepared to carry out any outstanding measures if the tenant requests us to do so and there is a finance package available because this will be a legal requirement
By 2018 it will be illegal to offer a property to let (or for sale) unless we have raised the EPC rating to E or above or above if it is possible to do so according to the Energy Assessors recommendations on the EPC
It is recognised that there are some properties that will not reach an E rating and the Energy Assessor will note this on the EPC and a note of the highest possible rating will also appear.
As long as we comply with all the recommendations on the EPC it will be legal to let properties that cannot be brought up to the minimum standard. The new rating will be noted on the revised EPC and a potential tenant will be therefore be aware that the property may be expensive to heat – this may have an impact on a landlords ability to let the property as more tenants become sensitive to fuel costs