What each service includes, when the law says you need a certificate, and what the assessor looks at on the day. EPCs from £65.
You need a valid EPC before a house or flat goes on the market. I visit, survey the property and lodge the certificate on the national register.
Rented homes need a valid EPC before a new tenancy, and in England and Wales most private lets must meet a minimum rating. I can tell you where the property stands and what the certificate recommends.
EPCs for shops, offices and other non-domestic buildings, needed when a commercial property is sold or let.
Floor plans of your property, ready for an estate agent's listing. Ask about one when you book your EPC.
EPC prices start from £65 and depend on the property and what is needed. Covering Nelson, Colne, Pendle and surrounding areas within Lancashire. Ask for a quote.
An Energy Performance Certificate rates how energy efficient a building is, on a scale from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient). It also estimates running costs and lists improvements that would raise the rating, such as more insulation or a better heating system.
The rating is worked out from the building, not from anyone's bills. Two identical houses get the same rating however the people living in them use their heating.
An EPC is valid for ten years. Certificates are held on a national register, so a buyer or tenant can look one up.
Some buildings are exempt, including some listed buildings and buildings due for demolition. If you think yours may be one, check the guidance on GOV.UK.
In England and Wales, privately rented homes must generally have an EPC rating of E or above. This is the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard. A property rated F or G cannot usually be let on a new tenancy unless a valid exemption is registered.
The government has proposed raising the minimum to C for private rented homes by 2030. Proposals like this can change, so check the current position on GOV.UK before relying on a date.
If your property is close to a band boundary, the recommendations on the certificate show which improvements would make the biggest difference.
Age, construction, floor area and room heights, measured on site.
Wall type, cavity or solid, and the depth of loft insulation.
Single, double or triple glazing and when it was fitted.
The boiler or heat source, the cylinder and the controls.
How much of the fixed lighting is low energy.
Solar panels, heat pumps and similar systems.
Photographs are taken as evidence for the record. Paperwork for insulation, windows or a new boiler helps, because some things cannot be seen once they are installed.
Ten years from the date it is lodged, unless a newer certificate replaces it.
Someone needs to let me in and be able to show me the loft hatch, boiler and heating controls. That can be you, a tenant, or your agent.
Yes, as long as it is still within its ten years. If you have made improvements since, a new EPC may give a better rating.
I need to see the loft to record the insulation depth where it is safe to do so. If it cannot be accessed, the assessment has to use default values, which can lower the score.
The official guidance is on GOV.UK. The rules for rented homes can change, so it is worth checking the current position before a new tenancy.
Official guidance: Energy Performance Certificates on GOV.UK and the minimum standard for landlords.