EPC - how energy efficient is your dwelling?

Energy Performance Certificates show how energy efficient a dwelling is and an assessment is necessary for house sales, a change of tenancy; or to claim a Feed-in Tariff (renewable electricity). It is a legal requirement that all properties (homes, commercial and public buildings) must have an Energy Performance Certificate when sold, built or rented.   

All EPCs are valid for 10 years the exception being when a RHI grant is being claimed (for the generation of renewable heating), then the EPC must be dated within the last 24 months.

Although an EPC has a life span of 10 years, as soon as any changes have been made to the property e.g. new boiler, then the original EPC will no longer be valid and truly represent the energy rating nor energy management of that dwelling.

Ofgem require an EPC of less than two years old for a Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) application, – https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/environmental-programmes/domestic-rhi 

 Ofgem help desk: 0300 003 0744 (Mon to Fri 8am to 7pm).

GDA-Kent have suspended the completion of property energy assessments (EPC's)  for the foreseeable future, due to COVID-19.

On the 26th March 2015, the Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Sector) (England and Wales) Regulations passed into law. These regulations are better known as the minimum energy efficiency standards (MEES). The final regulations are very similar to those consulted upon in summer 2014. This article relates to non-domestic buildings, although the regulations also cover domestic properties. The standard will be set at an ‘E’ EPC rating. The regulations will be enforced upon the granting of a new lease (as well as lease renewals) from 1 April 2018.Requirements and scope• The minimum energy efficiency standard will be set at an ‘E’ EPC rating. • The regulations will be enforced upon the granting of a new lease (as well as lease renewals) from 1 April 2018. • From 1 April 2023, the regulations will apply to all privately rented property in scope of the regulations, including where a lease is already in place and a property is occupied by a tenant. • The regulations will exclude from this definition any property which is let on a tenancy which is granted for a term of 6 months or less and any property let on a tenancy for 99 years or more. • All non-domestic property types are in scope of the regulations, except for those specifically excluded from existing Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) obligations, as set out in the EPC regulations, such as Listed buildings. • The regulations will be applied to sublets. • Landlords will be given an extension of six months from the date of the grant of the tenancy before they are required to comply with the regulations. • Where a non-compliant property occupied by a tenant is sold, the new landlord will have six months to improve the property, or seek to demonstrate an exemption applies.

Exemptions

Landlords will be exempt from meeting the minimum standard if they can demonstrate one of the following: • The identified improvement measures are not cost-effective, either within a seven year payback, or under the Green Deal’s Golden Rule. • Despite reasonable efforts, the landlord cannot obtain necessary consents to install the required energy efficiency improvements, including from tenants, lenders and superior landlords. • A relevant suitably qualified expert provides written advice that the measures will reduce a property’s value by 5% or more, or that wall insulation required to improve the property will damage the property. Where a landlord considers an exemption applies allowing them to let their property below an ‘E’ EPC rating, the landlord will need to log this on a centralised register – the “Private Rented Sector (PRS) Exemptions Register”. Exemptions last for five years.