From 'A' to 'G': An Overview of EPCs
An EPC essentially provides details of a property's energy performance. Properties are ranked from 'A' (the most efficient) to 'G' (the least efficient), and the rating is provided by a Domestic Energy Assessor who carries out an assessment while visiting the property.
An EPC lasts for 10 years (if the existing tenants move out, it remains valid for new tenants). For shared houses and flats, only one EPC is required for the house or flat. But a separate EPC is required for each self-contained flat in a building.
As well as having a valid EPC, you must also display the EPC rating in advertisements for your property, whether they appear in newspapers, online or in other marketing material. You must also provide a free EPC to buyers or tenants when selling or letting your property.
Failure to provide an EPC when required can lead to penalties. There is a fixed penalty of £200 per dwelling for failing to have a valid EPC. But you can also receive a £200 fine per advert if you do not display the EPC Graph, so the amount of the total fine can go up considerably.
New EPC Requirements from 2018
A number of changes have been made to EPC requirements since they were first introduced. The next changes will come into force from April 1st, 2018, when your private rented property will need to have a rating of 'E' or above if you are letting it or renewing a tenancy from this date (the requirement will come into force for existing tenancies on April 1st, 2020). Breaches of this new requirement can lead to a penalty of £4,000.
As a result, you may need to carry out improvement works on your property to make it more energy efficient to meet the new requirements.
Improving Your EPC Rating
Whether you want to improve your EPC rating to make sure it has an 'E' rating for the new requirements, or you simply want to make your property more energy efficient, you can take a number of steps to improve your rating:
- Add both loft insulation and cavity wall insulation to your property. Each of these should cost in the region of a few hundred pounds, and just by adding these to your property you could push your EPC rating up into a higher band.
- Draught proof your property. This is one of the cheapest and most effective measures you can take in any property. Simply seal up the gaps around the windows, doors and pipework to prevent draughts from sucking heat out of the property.
- Buy an efficient condensing boiler. This may not be cheap, but it can instantly make your property more energy efficient.
- Install double- or triple-glazing windows throughout the property. Again, this is not cheap, but the energy-efficiency benefits are enormous.
There are other changes that you could make to your property to make it more energy efficient, including adding solar panels or installing a ground-source heat pump. However, these are only really necessary if you want to get a top rating.
Bear in mind while making the changes that while it is relatively easy to get to level 'C' by making a few changes in your property, from there it becomes a lot harder. So don't worry too much if you cannot get an 'A' rating because this is difficult to achieve.
Make Small Changes to Improve Your Rating
An EPC is essential in most situations when selling or letting a home, and a lower rating is always going to be a popular selling point for buyers or tenants. Follow these tips to make changes to your property so that it is more energy efficient, and when you get your EPC, you may be able to benefit from a lower rating.
