Domestic Energy Performance Certificate

Domestic Energy Performance Certificates

Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) are needed whenever a property is:
  • Built
  • Sold
  • Rented
You must order an EPC for potential buyers and tenants before you market your property to sell or rent. In Scotland, you must display the EPC somewhere in the property, eg in the meter cupboard or next to the boiler.

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.

Buildings that don’t need EPC’S 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.
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Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES)

As from the 1st April 2018 there is a requirement for any properties rented out in the private rented sector to have a minimum energy performance rating of E on an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). The regulations came into force for new lets and renewals of tenancies with effect from 1st April 2018 and for all existing tenancies on 1st April 2020. It will be unlawful to rent a property which breaches the requirement for a minimum E rating, unless there is an applicable exemption. A civil penalty of up to £4,000 will be imposed for breaches. There are separate regulations effective from 1st April 2016 under which a tenant can apply for consent to carry out energy efficiency improvements in privately rented properties.

For most landlords this will mean that they will no longer be able to rent out a property with a rating of F or G after April 1st 2018.

Please see the Government guidance document:


Guidance for landlords and Local Authorities on the minimum level of energy efficiency required to let domestic property under the Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property) (England and Wales) Regulations 2015.
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