For more information about Energy Performance Certificates, please contact us on 01332 226 125 or complete the form below.
An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is required every time a property is placed on the rental or sale market.
18 December 2017
Insight
Nearly all properties, regardless of purpose or age, are required to have an assessment of their energy performance. There are three elements to the certificate:
As of March 2015, the Government have started to crack down on properties being let that are not fit for purpose. If a property doesn’t meet Grade E in its Energy Performance Certificate, you may not be able to let it. On the reverse, properties with a higher graded EPC may be able to achieve a higher rental yield.
You can read more about the Government’s Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES) here.
The energy efficiency rating is an overall efficiency measure for the entire property, taking into consideration all elements of the property’s energy saving mechanisms. It is rated in Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) points, from the worst performing properties at grade G, through to the most energy efficient properties graded at A.
Here is an explanation of how the grading scale works:
| Grade A | 92-100 SAP points |
| Grade B | 81-91 SAP points |
| Grade C | 69-80 SAP points |
| Grade D | 55-68 SAP points |
| Grade E | 39-54 SAP points |
| Grade F | 21-38 SAP points |
| Grade G | 1-20 SAP points |
As with the energy efficiency rating, the property is assessed on its impact on the environment, based on the amount of CO2 it emits. The worst performing properties are at Grade G and the best at grade A.
| Grade A | 92-100 SAP points |
| Grade B | 81-91 SAP points |
| Grade C | 69-80 SAP points |
| Grade D | 55-68 SAP points |
| Grade E | 39-54 SAP points |
| Grade F | 21-38 SAP points |
| Grade G | 1-20 SAP points |
SAP points are calculated through assessing the amount of energy a property will consume when it is being used for its purpose. It’s based on standardised assumptions for occupancy and behaviour and allows for a comparative measurement for all properties in relation to their energy efficiency performance. You can find more information on how this is calculated here.
This part of the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) gives an estimated cost for how much it would cost in the property’s current state to run it for its purpose, based on assumptions of usage. This will also estimate the amount of money you could save should you make improvements to the energy efficiency of the property.
Your property will be graded on its building materials, lighting, ventilation, insulation, windows, central heating and hot water systems as part of the Energy Performance Certificate (ECP). Each element will be graded using a five-star mechanism, with the best equipment for energy efficiency ranked at five stars, and the worst performing rated at one star.
The ‘recommended measures’ section will conclude all the above findings and summarise what you can do to improve the property’s energy efficiency. Some recommendations can be cost-effective, others might not be as beneficial. If you are uncertain, seek further professional advice on the benefits of improving the property prior to investing in improvements.
There is a section in the Energy Performance Certificate itself called ‘Administrative Information ’, which should contain contact information about the energy assessor who carried out the investigation. This should be your first port-of-call for enquires and disagreements. If this method is unable to resolve your situation, you should contact the accreditation scheme, the details for whom should also be in the ‘Administrative Information ’ section of your Energy Performance Certificate (EPC).
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