Making Sense Of The Energy Performance Certificate

Whether you are a landlord or someone who intends on selling their home at some point in the future, there is a need to have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) for your property. Even if you aren’t a landlord or vendor, there is a lot to be said for arranging an EPC for your home if you don’t already have one.

The EPC provides you with an assessment of the energy-efficiency rating of your property. Vendors must present one to buyers, landlords must present one to tenants, and everyone can learn what improvements can be made in a property. The EPC also provides an overview on how much it costs to light the property, to heat the house and to run hot water.

The better the rating held by the property, the more energy efficient it is, and the more affordable bills should be.

What does the EPC look like?

The EPC is simple to read, with the key information represented in a coloured chart. The rating runs from A, which is the best rating and is coloured green, to G, which is the worst rating and is coloured red.

The average EPC rating in the United Kingdom is a score of 60. This is in Band D, which is yellow on the charts. Landlords should be aware that as 2020, unless they have an exemption in place, rental properties must hold a rating of E or better.

A score of 60, in Band D (yellow) is the average score.

Why is the EPC useful?

For homeowners, landlords, vendors, buyers and tenants, the EPC holds very useful information. Anyone looking to improve the energy efficiency of the property will be provided with tips on how to achieve a better rating.

There is a lot of general tips on how to make a property more energy-efficient, but the tips contained in the EPC are tailored to the property. It is always best to have information that relates directly to your situation, and it is easy to follow the guidance on the report.

Also, it is handy for potential tenants and buyers to have an idea of what the fuel bills will be for the property. It is vital buyers and tenants review their finances, and try to calculate what budget they need for the year, or years, ahead. It is one thing to allocate funds each month for a mortgage payment or rental fee, but there are many other bills to pay.

A property with a low EPC rating may be expensive to heat, and it could be cold, damp, miserable and uncomfortable. If a potential buyer or tenant has options at their disposal, they may decide it is better to look for a property which isn’t so expensive to heat and maintain.

We know this is a challenging time, and for many households, the thought of buying or selling property is far from their mind. However, we also know many people are keen to keep themselves entertained, and some people may have property market issues. If we can be of any use to you, please contact Harpers Estates, and we will be more than happy to assist you.