An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) tells you how energy efficient a property is. It is a legal requirement to have an EPC in place on a property if it is being sold, rented out or built. The report considers how well insulated the property is and it will tell you how much your bills may cost. The certificate also recommends improvements that can save you money.
Following an investigation launched by the consumer champion, it has been found that EPCs can be proven to have inaccuracies and unhelpful advice and as the UK is currently facing a big challenge to reduce its energy use and switch to more energy efficient heating etc, many people are relying on EPCs as the first form of advice to improve their homes energy efficiency. However, access to grant funding or green financial products such as loans or mortgages is often available for those who meet EPC based criteria.
It has been suggested that the next government needs to reform EPCs to make them more reliable and a useful tool for homeowners. The content of EPCs should be changed to include information to help consumers prepare for the transition to low carbon heating. It would also make EPCs more reliable if they were more interactive and allowed for homeowners to enter the relevant information and also include up-to-date costings on energy bills etc, so that they are more accurate, as presently they are based on estimations.
EPCs are based on assessments by Domestic Energy Assessors, who can qualify through several different accreditation schemes that provide online and in person training. It has been mentioned that there should be changes made to ensure that the training requirements for this role ensure that the assesors have the skills needed to complete reliable assessments.
If you do need further information on EPCs or on your homes energy efficency, feel free to contact our management team on option three of 0208 598 2214.