Q If I'm selling a property do I need an Energy Performance Certificate at the start or end (exchange of contracts) of the process?

A It's a legal requirement, that a seller must have commissioned an EPC and have one in place 28 days after initally marketing the property. Both the estate agent and the vendor can be fined for a breach of this new regulation.

Q I'm a landlord renting out a property. Do I need to have an EPC?

A It's a legal requirement, in England and Wales, that a landlord must be able to show a valid EPC to all new tenants after 1st October 2008.

Q How long does an EPC last ?

A An EPC lasts for 10 years.

Q How much does an EPC cost?

A Costs vary, but our costs are fixed and are inclusive with no VAT to pay.

Q How long does it take to get the energy performance certificate?

A Once the survey of the property is under way - this can last from 1 to 2 hours - the data is entered into a secure database. This produces the certificate, which can be emailed in PDF format. So around 24 hours at most.

Q Is there anything I can do to prepare before the site survey?

A If your loft space is fully boarded, then removing a few loft boards before the survey, could save time and result in more accurate survey. If the loft insulation cannot be seen then the default result is that no loft insulation is present. This can result in a lower rating than would otherwise be expected.

Other actions to help would include; looking out certificates to support cavity wall insulation, plans to support ageing of extensions and modifications to outside walls and windows.

For more information try the selected external links - accessed from the further reading tab  on the Home page.