LANDLORDS REMINDED THAT ALL RENTED PROPERTIES MUST HAVE AN ENERGY PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATE (EPC)
B&ES, the Building & Engineering Services Association, remind landlords that they now have a legal obligation to obtain an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) for any property they rent out.
7 August 2013 – B&ES, the Building & Engineering Services Association, remind landlords that they now have a legal obligation to obtain an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) for any property they rent out.
Under the Energy Performance of Buildings Regulations, enforced by the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG), all properties (homes, commercial and public buildings) must have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) when sold, built or rented out.
Before a property is rented out the landlord must:
- Commission and obtain an EPC from a registered assessor unless one is already available;
- Make a copy of the EPC available to any prospective tenant free of charge;
- Give the tenant a copy of the EPC before he/she signs the tenancy agreement (again free of charge);
- Show or give a complete copy of the EPC, including the recommendation report, to prospective tenants.
The EPC shows two things: the energy efficiency of the property and the environmental impact of the property (that is carbon dioxide emissions). An EPC gives a property an energy efficiency rating from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient) and is valid for 10 years. The average rating is likely to be D or E.
The EPC will also show the top actions that can be taken to save money and make the property more efficient. It will be accompanied by a recommendations report with suggested works to be carried out.
An EPC must be prepared by an accredited assessor and there are a number of firms who employ accredited assessors who can produce EPCs.
Where a landlord uses a letting agency it is the responsibility of the agency to be satisfied that an EPC has been commissioned for the property before marketing it for rent. Under the regulations the full report must be provided to prospective tenants rather than just the graph showing energy efficiency.
Roderick Pettigrew, Chief Executive of B&ES, comments, “EPCs give tenants vital information about the energy efficiency of their property and also contain an estimate of their utility bills; they also give advice to help landlords make informed decisions about how to upgrade the energy efficiency of their properties by recommending improvements.
“Because prospective tenants will be able to see at a glance how energy efficient and environmentally friendly a property is, a favourable EPC with a higher than average rating will clearly be easier to rent out and of course the reverse is true – an EPC with a low rating and a report recommending significant improvements will be much harder to rent out.
“There are a number of steps that landlords can take to improve the energy efficiency of a property and reduce its carbon footprint. Landlords will find that B&ES members will be pleased to provide their expert advice including what the top priorities should be”.
For more information about B&ES and the services provided by its members visit www.b-es.org.
Ends
Issued on behalf of the Building & Engineering Services Association (B&ES) by Next Step Marketing Ltd
Media enquiries to: Heather Lambert. Tel: 44(0)1256 472020;
Fax: 44(0)1256 471010; E-mail: heather@nextstepmarketing.co.uk
Note to Editors
Since its formation in 1904, B&ES, the Building & Engineering Services Association (formerly the HVCA) has represented the interests of companies engaged in a wide range of building and engineering services disciplines.
B&ES helps its members to build successful businesses by being the leading trade association for integrated building and engineering services and renewable technologies. It is a unifying force that promotes and monitors excellence; provides quality advice, guidance, training and support; generates market-leading thinking; and shapes the commercial environment through active representation.
B&ES members are subject to regular, third-party inspection and assessment of their technical competence and commercial capability, carried out by an independent certification body at least every three years.
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