Energy Assessors In South London & Kent

About Energy Performance Certificates

In 1997 many countries around the world recognised the growing problem of ever increasing levels of greenhouse gases and agreed to take action to reduce this problem. These countries signed up to the Kyoto Protocol which agreed a set of measures to reduce C02 emissions.As buildings are responsible for almost 50 per cent of all energy consumed in the UK, it is vital that we make our buildings more energy efficient. Increasingly strict measures are being applied to new buildings but as a large proportion of currrent existing buildings will still be in use in 2050, improving the performance of these buildings is a particular priority.Communities and Local Government are leading the introduction of a number of energy and cost savings measures to make all buildings more efficient. The measures are being applied across all European Union countries and are in line with the European Directive for the Energy Performance of Buildings (EPBD). One of the most significant measures is the introduction of Energy Performance Certificates (EPC).

When will an EPC be required?

The current legislation requires that the Energy Performance Certificate is in place for all buil dings whether they are being constructed, rented or sold.

The EPC contains a graph which is broadly similar to the labels now provided with domestic appliances such as refrigerators and washing machines, and provides a rating of the energy efficiency and carbon emissions of a building based on a scale of A to G, where A is very efficient and G is very inefficient.

EPC's are produced using the RdSAP methodology which makes various assumptions about energy usage thereby allowing the energy efficiency of one building to be easily compared with another building of the same type. Prospective buyers, tenants, owners, occupiers and purchasers can then consider the energy efficiency, carbon emissions and potential running costs of a building and factor this into their investment.

An EPC is always accompanied by a recommendation report that lists cost effective and other measures (such as low and zero carbon generating systems) to improve the energy rating of the building. The certificate is also accompanied by information about the rating that could be achieved if all the recommendations were implemented.
Homeowners & Vendors

When you are selling your property there is a legal requirement for you to obtain an Energy Performance Certificate. The law states that you must have commissioned and paid for, or agreed to have paid for your EPC prior to marketing your property.

The requirement to obtain an EPC is law whether you are selling privately, via an on-line agent or through a traditional estate agency. In most cases the fee we will charge you to provide your EPC will be significantly lower than that charged by your estate agent. You will also retain control over the EPC should you wish to change agents or sell privately.

All EPC assessors are highly trained and fully accredited and insured. We offer appointment times to suit you, and we guarantee to produce the most accurate reports available anywhere across the industry.

The significance of the EPC will increase in the coming months as there are indications that it may be used as the basis for Council Tax discounts and Green grants. The more environmentally friendly a property becomes will dictate how attractive it is to buyers in the near future.

If you are the owner of an executive property, we have unrivalled experience of producing EPC's for properties over 1000m² with values exceeding £5million. Similarly, if you own an unusual property or one of non-standard construction, our specialist assessors can deliver their expertise in these technically challenging areas.

Private and Social Landlords

Landlords are now required to provide an Energy Performance Certificate to any prospective tenant. The tenant can request the EPC as early as the initial enquiry, but the EPC must be presented to the tenant no later than when the tenancy agreement is signed. Landlords will be familiar with the requirement to produce the Landlords Gas Safety Certificate annually, however the Landlords EPC benefits from a 10 year lifespan.

We operate throughout the South East and all of our assessors have passed our own stringent quality control test to ensure we are providing the most accurate EPC's in the industry.

How long will the EPC be valid for

All EPCs for all buildings are valid for 10 years from the date that they are prepared.

Whose duty is it to provide the EPC?

The duty to provide an EPC falls on the seller an EPC is required before the property is market.

Who will be responsible for providing the EPC?

The duty to provide an EPC falls on either the seller, in the case of a building being sold, or the landlord, in the case of a building being rented. In the case of new buildings the duty to provide an EPC falls on the builder.

When does the EPC have to be provided?

An EPC has to be made available at the earliest opportunity and, in any event, no later than exchange of contracts. As soon as the EPC is obtained the energy rating or the EPC must be included with any written particulars.

What is the penalty for not providing an EPC - who will enforce it?

There is a fixed penalty of £200. Enforcement of these requirements is the responsibility of Trading Standards Officers. There are also penalties for not complying with the duty to commission an EPC before putting the property on the market.

Where is the legislation on EPCs contained?

The legislation is contained in the Energy Performance of Buildings (Certificates and Inspections) (England and Wales) Regulations 2007 (as amended by the Energy Performance of Buildings (Certificates and Inspections) (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2010).

Who or what is an Energy Assessor?

This is someone who is accredited (regulated) to provide energy assessments on buildings. HIP providers may be able to provide this service as long as they are accredited under scheme as an energy assessor.

Does this mean more expense for first time buyers?

First time buyers will still receive an energy performance certificate from the seller but will now have to commission their own searches. These will typically cost in the region of £150 which is a relatively small amount in the context of overall transaction costs.

Estate Agents

The Energy Performance Certificate has entered a new phase in its history as a stand alone document required for the sale of a property.

-Agents now have a new duty to ensure that the EPC has been commissioned prior to marketing a property.
-Both the Agent & Vendor have a duty to make reasonable efforts to ensure that the EPC is produced within 28.
-Commissioning an EPC is defined as having ordered an EPC and either paid for it or having given a clear undertaking to pay for it.
In order to avoid the risk of a fine for either yourself or your client you will be send a confirmation advice note the moment the EPC is ordered. We will make this available to you by SMS text message and E-mail within seconds of your instruction with your client advised also if required.

This will gain you a competitive advantage over your rivals allowing you to market from the moment of instruction. Vendor loyalty is improved as you are the agent that arranged the EPC.

Commercial Property Owners

Energy Performance Certificates are a legal requirement for the sale or rental of commercial buildings and there is a legal requirement for Display Energy Certificates (DECs) in respect of public buildings. For the private sector that information will essentially be a matter between buyer and seller or landlord and tenant. Public sector buildings will have a separate requirement to display a certificate showing their energy rating.

The following exemptions apply where no EPC is required

-Small non-residential buildings of less than 50m2 floor area
-Buildings used primarily or solely as places of worship
-Temporary buildings with a planned time of use of two years or less, industrial sites, workshops and non-residential agricultural buildings with low energy demand
we are committed to meeting the commercial property owners requirements in respect of this new legislation, both in the private and public sectors.

Commercial EPCs are now enforceable by law; Trading Standards Officers now have the power to issue fines for the failure to produce an EPC. These fines range between £500 and £5,000 depending on the properties rateable value and you will still be expected to have an EPC issued.

The Service Promise

For an affordable Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) in South East London, Dartford and Bromley, please call today. We are all fully qualified Energy Assessor providing both Domestic and Commercial Energy Assessments to customers across the South London and surrounding area. We all deliver accurate Energy Performance Certificates with Market leading turn around times all EPC are completed that day , and full explanations, which ensures that our customers are satisfied with the standard of our work.The quality of their energy assessments is at the heart of the company.