Changes in the energy performance certificates rules

Relevant to
Domestic property owners, occupiers and agents, non-domestic property owners, occupiers, managers and agents, prospective purchasers and tenants, and the building, heating and air-conditioning industries in England and Wales

Took effect on
1 October 2008

From 1 October 2008, all properties when sold, built or rented will need an energy performance certificate (EPC).

Home EPCs form part of the Home Information Pack (HIP). EPCs in HIPs will be valid for a period of three years and not 12 months as is currently the case.

The changes require that you produce EPCs for all:

• Homes - including those that were on the market before the phased introduction of EPCs for domestic properties began in 2007.
• Commercial buildings - including those already on the market. However, for non-domestic buildings on the market before 1 October 2008 - and remaining on the market - you will have until 4 January 2009 to produce an EPC. If you sell or rent out the building during the transition period, you must commission and provide an EPC as soon as reasonably practical to do so.
• Public buildings - those of 1,000 square metres and above will also need to prominently display their energy certificates.

Air-conditioning systems

You must have air-conditioning systems over 250 kilowatt (kW) inspected before 4 January 2009. You will have until 4 January 2011 to arrange the inspection of all remaining air-conditioning systems over 12kW.

The disclosure of information from EPC registers

Access to EPC registers will be extended to:

• the Energy Saving Trust, which will have access to names and energy ratings to offer the Green Homes Service
• energy assessors, who will be permitted to search by address
• members of the public to see whether an EPC has been produced for a non-domestic building

The new rules also unify and simplify the arrangements for calculating as-built CO₂ emission rates when giving a building control body an asset rating for a new building.

• Find information on the energy performance of buildings on the Communities and Local Government website - Opens in a new window
• Download EPCs guidance for similar dwellings owned by the same landlord from the Communities and Local Government website (PDF, 238K) - Opens in a new window
• Download the legislation on energy certificates and inspections from the Office of Public Sector Information website (PDF) - Opens in a new window

Full title of regulation
Energy Performance of Buildings (Certificates and Inspections) (England and Wales) Regulations 2008 [SI 2008 2363]

From
Communities and Local Government

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