Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) are needed whenever a property is:

· Built (Derived from a Full SAP Calculation)

· Sold

· Rented

It is a requirement for provide an EPC for potential buyers and tenants before you market your property to sell or rent.  RdSAP should be used for the assessment of existing dwellings only. New dwellings, including those created by a change of use, must be assessed using SAP for Building Regulations purposes.

For the avoidance of doubt, a ‘new dwelling’ is one completed on or after the following dates:

England & Wales region – 6th April 2008

An EPC contains:

· Information about a property’s energy use and typical energy costs

· Recommendations about how to reduce energy use and save money

An EPC gives a property an energy efficiency rating from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient) and is valid for 10 years.

You can be fined if you don’t get an EPC when you need one.

From April 2016, The Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property)(England and Wales) Regulations 2015 will bring into force minimum energy efficiency standards (MEES) in the residential and commercial private rented sector.

The earlier landlords act, the more time they will have to ensure their properties are up to the required standards, especially in the case of commercial properties where change can take significantly longer to action.

Essentially those Landlords with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) Rating below an E will be required to undertake work to improve the energy performance of the property; those who do not could face heavy penalties.

These include:

· Places of worship

· Temporary buildings that will be used for less than 2 years

· Stand-alone buildings with total useful floor space of less than 50 square metres

· Industrial sites, workshops and non-residential agricultural buildings that don’t use a lot of energy

· Some buildings that are due to be demolished

· Holiday accommodation that’s rented out for less than 4 months a year or is let under a licence to occupy

· Listed buildings – you should get advice from your local authority conservation officer if the work would alter the building’s character

· Residential buildings intended to be used less than 4 months a year