The Energy Performance Certificate

If you are selling or renting out a domestic property you will almost certainly need an Energy Performance Certificate. EPCs for existing properties are produced either by a Domestic Energy Assessor or a Home Inspector both of whom have to be members of a Government approved Certification Scheme.

The EPC and accompanying Report tell you:

The property’s performance on the date it was inspected, rated in terms of the energy used per square metre of floor area. The higher the rating, the more efficient the home is and the lower the fuel bills are likely to be.

 

The property's energy efficiency, based on fuel costs and environmental impact on Carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. The higher the rating, the less impact it has on the environment.

 

The Report also suggests steps that you can take to improve the energy efficiency of your home, listed in order of potential cost and savings achieved. This means that it is an excellent starting point for improving the energy efficiency of your home even if you aren't planning to sell it or rent it out.

The Home Inspector or DEA inspects the inside and outside of the main building and the visible parts of the gas and electricity services. He or she also inspects the loft if it is accessible. The inspection is ‘non-invasive’. This means that the Home Inspector (or DEA) does not take up carpets, floor coverings or floorboards, move furniture or remove the contents of cupboards and you don't need to either. However, as with the HCR, the more parts of the building that can be seen, the more accurate will be the report.  

For more information about the EPC see the DirectGov website

 

 

 

 

 

JMH Home Inspections is a trading name of J M Hoskin Home Inspections