Energy Performance Certificate
Posted on 2nd March 2022
What is an EPC?
An Energy Performance Certificate, or EPC for short, is a document that provides information on the energy efficiency of a property.
If you are a tenant looking to rent out your own home, it's important to know what this certificate entails and why it matters.
For landlords with rented properties, you need to make sure that your tenants have valid certificates before they move in.
The length of validity will depend on when the building was constructed but if there's no certificate then there will be fines from government authorities who enforce these regulations.
There are also penalties for not having the most recent version of the certificate which may include loss of rental income from not being able to let out your property.
It is the responsibility of both landlords and tenants to ensure that an EPC is valid.
The landlord must provide a valid certificate before the tenant moves in, while it's also the tenant's responsibility to check that the certificate is still up-to-date.
If there are any changes made to the property - for example, if new insulation is installed - then the EPC must be updated. The certificate can become invalid for a number of reasons, including if the Energy Performance Rating drops below 50%.
You may need an EPC for a number of reasons. If you're buying or selling a property, you will need to provide an EPC to your estate agent or solicitor to market the property.
You may also need to provide an EPC if you are planning on re-decorating your home or work with a builder, as part of their application for building regulations approval.
Finally, if you are a tenant looking to rent out your home it's important that the EPC is valid and up-to-date before potential tenants view.
As mentioned above, there are consequences for both landlords and tenants who fail to provide an EPC or have one which is invalid. For example, as of April 2018 new legislation states that landlords can be fined £500 for not having a valid EPC.
It's important to know and understand your obligations as both a tenant and landlord when it comes to this document, in order to avoid any penalties or fines. For more information on EPCs and what they entail, please visit the government website at: gov.uk/epc-certificate.
If you need an EPC and are still unsure on how to order it then we can do it for you, which would be £99+VAT.
This content is for information purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice. For more information, please speak to your solicitor for further advice.
Thank you for reading! Please contact us if you woud like anymore information.
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sales@thepropertyfox.co.uk
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