Energy Performance Certificate – Is it a necessity and standard requirement for selling a property?

 Display Energy Certificate

An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) for short, needs to be at least in the application stage, before you proceed to put a house or property on the market and up for sale. Acquiring this certificate, should not cause undue expense or produce complications.




Energy Performance Certificate

– This is a document, and standard form, which analyses the energy efficiency of a property. This must be given to prospective buyers, by the seller.
– EPC’s, offer details of the energy consumption, and running costs. Offering their views about how this can be done with more efficiency, and at a lower cost. There are differing bands, using letters from A – G as a scale. A being the more efficient, energy wise, G being the lesser efficient.
– Scotland insists, that sellers have a more in depth report on their home. This includes not only an E.P.C. but a property questionnaire and house survey.

Green Deal assessment and E.P.C. do I require both?

– No, is the answer to this question. With the Green Deal assessment, there are two separate documents. The E.P.C. is one, and the other one is an Occupancy Assessment, which concentrates on household personalised information. So, you are not required to pay again, for a separate E.P.C. as this is included.
– The Green Deal, can allow home owners, to borrow money, to improve their energy resources, to make them more efficient. But concludes, that the repayments must not be any more than the savings made from their improvements.

– The report, from your E.P.C. will be accepted , and you will receive a bursary for your improvements, that were recommended under the deal.

Is an E.P.C. for everyone?

– Listed buildings, are exempt from needing an E.P.C. certificate. Suggested improvements, such as double glazing, can’t be implemented because structural changes, maybe required, but they are prohibited in a listed dwelling.

– Make sure, you apply early for an E.P.C. certificate, as this is required before you sell, as stated earlier. It may slow procedures down, if you haven’t even applied for one. There are very few instances, where being exempt from this certificate occurs.

How long is the E.P.C. certificate valid for?

This certificate was first introduced in 2007, and they are valid for a 10 year period.

What is the cost and where can I get one?

You can get an E.P.C. certificate, for as little as £24.00 in England and Wales, for a small apartment, in the centre of the city, leading to approximately £120.00 for a much larger property in a more remote area.
Shop around, for the cheapest in your area. Info can be found via a list of accredited energy assessors, which can be easily sourced from the internet.

– If you live in Scotland, it is more expensive for a home report, which can start from £650.00 Estate agents, will be able to give a quote for an energy report and survey, also the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS)

– Estate agents, will charge commission, if they arrange an E.P.C. Prices can be juggled, don’t except a too costly price, negotiate!

Will paying more, for an expensive E.P.C. attract more buyers?

Don’t go for the expensive option. An ordinary E.P.C. will allow you to sell your property, and this is the main point of the exercise.


Information Credit - bazzaz.org.uk

Why You Need an EPC To Sell Your Business

SAP Energy Performance Certificate

When selling your business it is a legal requirement that a commercial property must hold a valid Energy Performance Certificate, however in some instances businesses may be exempt.

What is an EPC?

An Energy Performance Certificate (EPCs) is a document that informs potential buyers how energy efficient a building is which is important when they are considering to invest or occupy a building.
All EPC’s are accompanied with a report of recommendation which suggests ways in which the properties efficiency can be improved. Commercial EPC’s are valid for up to 10 years or up until a more up to date certificate is produced.

Who requires an EPC?

If you have a building (with roof and walls) that uses energy to condition the indoor climate, such as, heating or air conditioning, you are likely to require an EPC.
There are some circumstances in which an Energy Performance Certificate is not required, such as:

• Places of worship
• Temporary buildings that are only going to be used for 2 years
• Stand alone buildings with a total useful floor area of less than 50 square metres that are not dwellings
• Industrial sites, workshops and non-residential agricultural buildings with low energy demands

Why do I need one?

It is now a requirement of European Law that the majority of commercial properties must hold a valid Energy Performance Certificate before it can be advertised or sold.

What happens if I don’t have one?

If you do not hold a valid EPC when selling your business we cannot legally market your business, so your business may be withdrawn from the market with us. You may also be fined between £500 to £5,000 dependant on the rateable value of the building if you don’t make an EPC available.

How do I get an EPC?

If you need an EPC, only accredited Energy Assessors can produce an EPC for you. Here at Hilton Smythe we can arrange for an EPC to be produced for your property, call us on 01204 556 306 to arrange for an EPC to be produced for your property.

Information Credit - Amy Curley

The importance of a commercial EPC

Commercial EPC London

Landlords need to ensure that all commercial properties on the market have a valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) in order to avoid fines of up to £5,000.

EPCs give information on how energy efficient a building is and also contain recommendations on how to reduce the building’s energy use and carbon dioxide emissions.

The new regulations which came into force on 6th April 2012 mean that:

• an EPC must be commissioned for all buildings before they are marketed as being for sale or rent
• where an EPC is not available, those selling or renting buildings must use “reasonable efforts” to ensure that one is obtained within seven days of marketing the property (previously 28 days)
• the first page of the EPC must be attached to the written particulars for the property

Commercial property owners and landlords need to be up to speed on these changes in order to market their properties effectively and compliantly.

The penalty for failing to make an EPC available to any prospective buyer or tenant when selling or letting non-dwellings is fixed. In most cases, this is 12.5 percent of the rateable value of the building, subject to a minimum of £500 and a maximum of £5,000, so failure to comply could prove costly.

For clarification and peace of mind on the new EPC arrangements, seeking the advice of a legal professional experienced in this field is a sensible step.

Information Credit : Easy EPC 

What is the average EPC rating for a domestic property, and what proportion of properties fall into each A to G band ?

Asbestos Surveys London

Easy EPC have recently been examining data taken from a cross section of 2000 domestic EPC surveys carried out by the company across the UK between Aug 2010 and Aug 2012. One of the chief reasons for carrying out this research was to establish what is the average EPC rating for a domestic property, and what proportion of properties fall into each A to G band.

Our Findings:

Proportion of properties fall into each A to G band:

• A 0.1%
• B 1.2%
• C 22.6%
• D 46.2%
• E 24.6%
• F 4.2%
• G 1.2%

Surprisingly this type of data has never been published by the Government. We feel this information is important to get out into the public domain as it is of interest to both domestic sale and rental clients and renewable companies.

Average UK Domestic Energy Performance Certificate Rating

Domestic EPC for Sales and Rental:

We constantly come across clients who are concerned that their D rated EPC is a bad thing, and worry that it may have an adverse affect on their sale or rental. These statistics prove that a grade D is not such a bad rating; in fact D is the median rating for properties in the UK, with approximately 46% of existing dwellings falling into this band.

EPCs for Renewables Installations:

Since the 1st of April 2012 all solar PV installations require the property they are powering to have an EPC certificate in place with a rating of D or better, otherwise they will not be able to get the higher rate Feed in Tariff (FiT). Similar legislation applies to properties wishing to apply for Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) payments from 1st October 2012.
The good news is that approximately 70% of domestic properties in the UK will make a D grade on their EPC report as is. A further 25 % fall into the band E, and many of these will get a D rating once solar panels have been installed.

What Next:

We are currently in the process of collating data to examine what the average potential EPC rating is for properties across the UK. This information is going to be of particular interest to home owners and landlords as it will reflect improvements to energy efficiency that can be achieved by following the recommendations on the EPC report, many of which will be eligible for full or partial financing under the government’s innovative ‘Green Deal’ scheme. If you would like more information about the Green Deal, and how it can help you to improve the energy efficiency of your property, then please contact us today.

Information Credit :  Easy EPC

Why You Need an EPC To Sell Your Business

Asbestos Reports London

When selling your business it is a legal requirement that a commercial property must hold a valid Energy Performance Certificate, however in some instances businesses may be exempt.

What is an EPC?

An Energy Performance Certificate (EPCs) is a document that informs potential buyers how energy efficient a building is which is important when they are considering to invest or occupy a building.

All EPC’s are accompanied with a report of recommendation which suggests ways in which the properties efficiency can be improved. Commercial EPC’s are valid for up to 10 years or up until a more up to date certificate is produced.

Who requires an EPC?

If you have a building (with roof and walls) that uses energy to condition the indoor climate, such as, heating or air conditioning, you are likely to require an EPC.

There are some circumstances in which an Energy Performance Certificate is not required, such as:

• Places of worship
• Temporary buildings that are only going to be used for 2 years
• Stand alone buildings with a total useful floor area of less than 50 square metres that are not dwellings
• Industrial sites, workshops and non-residential agricultural buildings with low energy demands

Why do I need one?

It is now a requirement of European Law that the majority of commercial properties must hold a valid Energy Performance Certificate before it can be advertised or sold.

What happens if I don’t have one?

If you do not hold a valid EPC when selling your business we cannot legally market your business, so your business may be withdrawn from the market with us. You may also be fined between £500 to £5,000 dependant on the rateable value of the building if you don’t make an EPC available.

How do I get an EPC?

If you need an EPC, only accredited Energy Assessors can produce an EPC for you. Here at Hilton Smythe we can arrange for an EPC to be produced for your property, call us on 01204 556 306 to arrange for an EPC to be produced for your property.

Information Credit - Amy Curley

Scotland’s EPC Regulations Will Be More Stringent than in England and Wales

 Asbestos Reports London

Scotland’s commercial property market is about to be hit with stringent requirements as compulsion looms on energy efficiency. Sometimes the effects of property legislation only becomes apparent many years down the line – this is certainly the case for the EU Energy Performance of Buildings Directive. Whilst legislation has already been enacted in England, Scotland is somewhat lagging behind as the deadline for compliance gets closer. The Scottish Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) regulations are soon to reach consultation stage and it is vital that property owners understand the implications.

EPCs have been with us for six years and are now entrenched in commercial property transactions. In 2011 the assessment was reviewed and tightened up making a greater contribution in requiring property owners and occupiers to consider energy efficiency when buying, selling and letting commercial property space. The Scottish Government has driven the message that property professionals need to embrace the principles behind EPCs and the first regulatory requirements to do so are imminent.

Embedded in the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009 are provisions that require the Scottish Government to regulate the assessment and improvement of energy efficiency within commercial buildings. The decision to adopt earlier and broader legislation, in contrast to the enabling legislation contained within the Energy Act for England and Wales, is notable.

The approach adopted in England will see a property with an EPC rating of F or below be deemed energy inefficient and will be unlettable. In Scotland a different approach has been taken. If enacted, properties that fail to attain energy efficiency standards in line with 2002 building regulations will be required to be improved through the implementation of Energy Action Plans (EAP). The EAP will require property owners to carry out the energy efficiency recommendations contained within the EPC.

There are some exemptions: at first, buildings of less than 1000 sq m would not be required to be assessed and improved initially although the size is expected to be decreased over time. EPCs would still be required for sale or letting for smaller properties. Buildings that currently meet energy standards equivalent to those introduced by the 2002 Building Regulations will also be granted an exemption as they are deemed to be efficient and buildings which have implemented the Green Deal improvements would also be exempt.

The regulations are scheduled for introduction in June 2016, but have not been fully drafted nor published by the Scottish Government. Due to this, there remains some uncertainty as to how this will be managed in practice. An EPC will still be required at the point of sale or lease, but owners will also be required to prepare the action plan which will identify a target and set out how the objective will be achieved. It is expected that the improvements will be undertaken in full over a set period of time – expected to be three and a half years – or deferred during which time annual records of actual energy use will be taken.

The timetable for implementation is currently expected to see parliamentary approval in the autumn of 2015 with implementation in June 2016 at which point the Scottish Government plans to introduce Energy Action Plans (EAPs) for commercial premises. The implementation of the regulations will have an immediate impact on the property sector and the property owners and occupiers who operate in that sector. Whilst the regulations will initially only affect larger buildings, it is widely anticipated that the scope of the regulations will be widened to enable delivery of the Scottish Government’s overarching aim to dramatically decrease the country’s carbon emissions.

Much of the commercial stock in Scotland was constructed prior to 2002 and as such will currently fall short of the energy efficiency standards required under the building regulations. The concern is landlords of buildings constructed with dated building materials, poor or non-existent insulation, single glazing and obsolete heating plant would not find it financially viable to spend the capital required to bring the building up to the new regulatory standards which will lead to many properties becoming unmarketable. With some of the earliest EPCs coming up for renewal in less than four years and the new regulations imposing improvement to buildings due next summer, property owners must take action now to make sure that their assets do not fall below the minimum standard. 

Information Credit - www.energylegislation.co.uk

The Importance of the Asbestos Survey

 Asbestos Surveys London

In recent years the true danger of asbestos has come to light. Since the material was banned in 1999 a great deal of time and money has been spent on raising asbestos awareness and taking measures to ensure the safe handling and treatment of asbestos in both domestic and non-domestic properties. Although asbestos itself might not pose a danger in some cases: any environment in which asbestos fibres may become airborne presents a severe health risk.

In line with the strict stipulations set out by the Health and Safety Executive, it is absolutely imperative that duty holders take measures to establish whether Asbestos Containing Material (ACM) is present in non-domestic premises. In some cases it may be possible for the duty holder to perform an asbestos survey themselves; but in the majority of cases and particularly in buildings which were constructed or in which maintenance or refurbishment was undertaken between 1950 and 1999 – it is only by using a reputable professional that absolute compliance with HSE directives can be assured.

Consequentially, with the exception of premises constructed post 1999, an asbestos survey and the subsequent action in the event of finding asbestos is almost invariably best undertaken by an expert with accreditation and experience in the carrying out of an asbestos survey.

Performing an Asbestos Survey

The initial stage of an asbestos survey is a materials assessment. This assessment is performed to establish:

• Whether Asbestos Containing Material is present and if it is; the type, location and volume found.
• How accessible any present Asbestos Containing Material is, its condition and any evidence of surface treatment.
• The type of asbestos found – either by sampling or presuming.

In addition to the materials assessment, the surveyor is also tasked with confirming that:

• There is no risk that any individual will be harmed by the presence of Asbestos Containing Material in the premises or equipment.
• If Asbestos Containing Material is present that it remains in good condition.
• Any Asbestos Containing Material that may be present is not at risk of being accidentally disturbed.

If any of the above factors are not deemed to be the case then an asbestos management plan must be put in place which outlines how the asbestos is to be handled in order to ensure that premises is rendered safe to occupy.

As Asbestos Containing Material is only a serious hazard when there is a risk of exposure to asbestos fibres, or a risk that disturbance of Asbestos Containing Material will result in the release of asbestos fibres, it is not always best to remove it. In fact, an attempt by an unqualified individual to remove asbestos often results in the development of a considerably more hazardous environment than if the Asbestos Containing Material had been left as it was. A professional asbestos surveyor is able to asses if Asbestos Containing Material must be removed or whether it is 100% safe to leave in the premises.

Information Credit : Lighthouse