Thursday, 28 January 2016

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.


epc

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

Wednesday, 27 January 2016

Why You Need an EPC To Sell Your Business

SAP Energy Performance Certificate

Why You Need an EPC To Sell Your Business

Tuesday, 19 January 2016

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 ?


    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
    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

    Wednesday, 6 January 2016

    Why You Need an EPC To Sell Your Business

    Why You Need an EPC To Sell Your Business

    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 -