FAQs - All your EPC questions answered

What is an EPC?

An EPC is an Energy Performance Certificate, this is a legal document required for a number of different property transactions. For instance, an EPC is required for all property sales (there are some exceptions which are covered later in the FAQs) and your solicitor will not be able to complete on your sale or purchase without one.

An EPC is also required for rental properties where landlords have a legal obligation to have one in place for any property they rent out to comply with the governments latest Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES), a rental property must be a band ‘E’ or above in order to be rented out.

Properties which fall under this will in most cases require remedial works to be undertaken to bring them up to the required standard. There is further information on MEES and some exemptions later on in the FAQs.

EPCs are also required to apply for things such as the Renewable Heat Incentive for properties which have had renewable technologies installed and also most mortgage companies will request an EPC for re-mortgage purposes. We’ve also got a blog article here on the EPC which covers some issues in more detail.

How long will you need in the property?

For an average sized three bedroom house we would need to be at the property for around 45 minutes. Some properties with unusual features and extensions may take longer but this is a good estimate. We’ve also got some great EPC blogs to read including this one which covers what happens on an EPC survey.

What is the cost of an EPC?

The cost of an EPC with NN Home Energy Surveys is always the same…Just £69. We believe in openness, honesty and transparency which is why we were one of the very first EPC suppliers to have a clear flat fee with no form filling asking for quotes and no misleading ‘from’ prices on our website and adverts. That’s exactly why we are trusted by so many homeowners to supply their EPCs. For more information on pricing click here.

Do I need to move furniture or anything?

There shouldn’t be any need to move anything as the inspections is meant to be non invasive so we should be able to see everything we require with the furniture in-situ. For anything we cant see we can use assumptions based on the age of the property and the building regulations at that time.

Will you need access to all of the rooms?

Yes, we will require access to all rooms so please try to arrange your appointment for a time when we will be available to enter all the habitable rooms. If applicable, we will also need access to the loft space in order to ascertain the depth of the insulation.

What else will you require during your visit?

As part of our certification scheme quality assurance we are randomly audited on our work so we are required during the inspection to take a number of photographs of items relating to the EPC, such as the boiler, heating controls, windows and loft insulation.

It is also useful if you have any paperwork or documents relating to any works you have had done to the property which may be relevant to the EPC, for instance, building control sign off forms, certificates for cavity wall insulation, details of internal wall insulation or details of any solar or PV installations.

Why should I choose NN Home Energy Surveys?

Take a look at this blog post which just so happens to give you a list of some very good reasons to call us first!!

How long will it take to receive my EPC certificate?

We aim where at all possible to email the EPC link to our clients within 24hrs from the time of the site visit. There may be exceptions to this if we need to make further enquiries about anything but we will keep you updated at all times. Check out this blog article here on getting an EPC quickly.

What safeguards do you have in place?

We are members of Stroma Certification and hold full public liability and professional indemnity insurance plus we are also DBS checked for your safety.

I’ve seen an EPC advertised cheaper elsewhere

The old saying of “If it looks too good to be true, It generally is” is never more true than with EPCs. The internet is littered with local and national companies offering EPCs at rock bottom prices to try and draw customers in but try getting one, try getting one quickly, try getting one that’s accurate and you can rely on. We’ve got a great blog article on the perils of the cheap EPC here.

COVID-19…Is it safe to visit my property?

Firstly, we will always wear a high grade face mask when inside your property, we will sanitise our hands once we arrive and we will always observe social distancing. We would ask that clients also respect our safety and where possible wear a mask and socially distance.

Safety is something we take very seriously and you can trust us to take every precaution possible.

What areas do you cover?

We cover all ‘NN’ postcode areas and also Milton Keynes. We will also cover surrounding areas upon request, please call us to discuss. For detailed area information on Northamptonshire and Milton Keynes please check out their respective pages in the main menu.

Do I need an EPC in order to sell my house?

Yes you do, your solicitor cannot legally complete on your sale unless an EPC is in place for you property, unless it falls into one of the categories below.

What types of property do not require an EPC

• 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

How long is an EPC valid for?

EPCs are currently valid for 10 years from the date of issue. For more on EPC expiry dates click here.

Can my property fail an EPC?

For sale purposes the answer is a definite no, the EPC is there to inform the potential buyer about the current running costs of the property and to offer recommendations for ways the property could be made more energy efficient and therefore reduce its running costs.

For rental there is still no pass or fail as such but the governments Minimum Energy Efficiency standards require any property to be rented out to meet a minimum band ‘E’ EPC rating.

Why is my EPC rating so low?

See our blog article here which explains the different factors which influence your final rating.

Who is responsible for obtaining an EPC

For property sales it is the homeowner who is directly responsible for sourcing the EPC. If you are marketing your property through an Estate Agent they also have their own legal obligations to make sure an EPC is in place within a set time before commencing marketing.

For renting a property out it is the responsibility of the landlord. Under the minimum energy efficiency standards it is illegal to rent out a property under a rating of band ‘E’.

We’ve got some great blog posts for landlords to learn more about the EPC, click here to read how to make sure your rental property reaches a band E and check out our blog section in the main menu for some great landlord tips and tricks.

How do I obtain an EPC certificate?

All you need to do is call us on 07851 957628, email david@nnhes.co.uk or use our ‘contact us’ page and we’ll book an appointment at a time to suit you and that’s it!! We always aim to send you the EPC on the same day the visit is carried and you can pay by cash, card or invoice.

How do I find an EPC assessor near me?

If you’re property is in Northamptonshire, Milton Keynes or the surrounding areas then look no further. If not, the best place to go is the national EPC register where you can enter your postcode and it’ll give you a list of all the registered Domestic Energy Assessors near to you. You can find a link to it on our ‘Useful links’ page here.

This is the best way to find an Energy Assessor as you’ll be contacting the assessor directly rather than going through many of the large national companies who are very prominent on search engines and who offer temptingly low prices, but you have no control over who you use, their reviews, reputation or quality. By sourcing your own energy surveyor you retain control over all these things which are really important.