Shared Ownership EPC Certificate
EPC (Energy Performance Certificates) often also referred to as simply Energy Certificates. Whether you are looking to find about a commercial EPC or express EPC. Housetrade has a pannel of preferred EPC providers, please follow the tab to the right or alternatively fill out an enquiry with your requirements and our panel will be in touch: Enquiry
What are Energy Performance Certificates?
Shared Ownership Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) provide information on the energy efficiency of a property and therefore tell you how you can improve your homes energy efficiency which reduces your energy bills. Any home that is sold, purchased or rented need to have an Energy Certificate (EPC).
What is included in a Shared Ownership Energy Performance Certificate
- Detailed information on a property’s energy usage and expected energy costs
- A report containing suggestions on how to reduce energy usage to save money
- Details of the person(s) or company who conducted the EPC
- Contact details if you wish to complain about the EPC
Energy usage and recommendations to make savings
Shared Ownership Every Energy Certificate gives the property in question a rating which highlights the Comparisons are made between current energy efficiency and associated costs with the potential figures that your house could achieve is suggested changes in effeciency were put in place. Thia rating gives the property a grade from ‘A’ to ‘G’, with ‘A’ being the most efficient. The same calculations are applied to all houses to give accurate comparisons as to the energy efficiency of different properties. The average efficiency grade to date is 'D'.
The recommendation for changes report
The detailed recommendation report contained within EPCs highlight exactly how you could reduce energy usage and carbon dioxide emissions in the following fields:
- Potential cost savings each year, with suggested improvements in place
- The impact of these changes on the energy efficiency rating of the property
- Whether any of these improvements are eligible for funding through the Green Deal (Further information in the Green Deal section lower down on this page)
- Recommended improvements, such as cavity wall or loft insulation
The recommendations in the EPC report if acted upon can make your property more attractive for sale or rent by making it more energy efficient and saving money for the future inhabitants. You do not have to act upon these recommendations but if cost effective can definitely benefit you.
Shared Ownership ECP Adviser – make you own recommendation report
There is an online tool available for free use that shows you how you can make your home more energy-efficient called The EPC Adviser. By simply entering your Shared Ownership EPC reference number it calculates how much money and carbon you can potentially save. You can obtain an instant report that you can change depending on what improvements you would like to make to your homes energy efficiency, so you see how much money you could save. http://epcadviser.direct.gov.uk/
What does a Shared Ownership EPC looks like?
All of the information contained within an energy certificate is summarised in a chart detailing the energy efficiency rating.
How to get a Shared Ownership EPC and how long they're valid for
When you enquire about buying or renting a property you should receive an EPC. If you are selling or letting a property you will need to provide one. An EPC is valid for ten years.
When you'll be given a Shared Ownership EPC
By law you should receive an Energy Performance Certificate in the following cases:
When Buying a home - Sellers a required to provide an EPC, free of charge to potential buyers.
Buying a new build property - Buyers of new build properties should receive an EPC, free of charge.
Renting a property - Landlord must provide an EPC to you free of charge, unless you are just renting a room with shared facilities rather than renting a whole property.
If you have not been provided with an EPC when entitled, the trading standards department of your local council are the people to contact. Trading standards officers can issue fixed penalty notices to the amount of £200 for domestic properties where an EPC has not been provided. In relation to new build properties where and energy certificate hasn’t been provided, the building control department of your local council are the people to contact.
When do I need a Shared Ownership EPC and Which buildings need an EPC
An Energy Performance Certificate is required to be obtained when a building is built, rented or sold. In this instance a building is defined as a structure with a roof and walls which uses energy to ‘condition an indoor climate’. Basically meaning it has heating, air conditioning or mechanical ventilation. This building could be the whole building or simply a part of a building altered or designed so it can be separately used. Each unit will need an individual Energy Performance Certificate where the whole building is encompassed of separate units, each having a separate heating system.
If you need to provide an EPC you will have to contact an accredited domestic energy assessor. Their duty is to carry out the assessment and produce the Energy Performance Certificate. The Accreditation scheme ensure that domestic energy assessors are able to work to agreed standards and have the right skills, also that; adhere to standards, codes of conduct and procedures, are qualified to conduct an energy assessment, produce the certificate and give advice, have the correct insurance , are part of a register, have had a criminal records check, have a complaints procedure.
Domestic energy assessors can be self-employed or employed by a company so you should always check they belong to an accreditation scheme.
Do any buildings not need an EPC
The following buildings do not require an EPC when they are built, rented or sold:
- temporary standing buildings not to be used for more than two years
- places of worship, temples, churches etc…
- small standalone buildings that do not have a useful floor area exceeding more than 50 sq metres not used to for living accommodation for a single household
- workshops, industrial sites and agricultural buildings that aren’t residential and that don't use a lot of energy
- holiday accommodation rented out for no more than 4 months a year or alternatively let under a licence to occupy
Comparing your Shared Ownership home’s EPC to other homes
You can look at the EPCs of other properties on the EPC register website. This lets you compare your home’s energy performance with that of similar homes free of charge. If you don’t want other people to be able to see your EPC on the EPC register, you can opt out.
Find an EPC using a property's address
Find an EPC by its report reference number
Opt out of displaying your EPC
EPCs for business premises
Commercial building owners are required to provide an Energy Performance Certificate when intending to sell or let commercial premises.
The Green Deal
The Green Deal initiative is set to launch in October 2012. This may be able to assist owners to make improvements to the efficiency, cost and warmth during winter of a property, that is without having to pay for the work upfront. This initiative enables you to choose from eligible energy saving improvements you want to make to your property. Then the improvements can be paid for over a period of time through your electricity bill, this amount is to be no greater than the estimated savings to energy bills made from the improvements. The Green Deal charge is associated with the property so if you move the repayments are the responsibility of the new bill payer. You can apply whether you’re a tenant or an owner and you might be eligible for extra help if your household gets income-related benefits. For more information, see the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) website.
The Green Deal: DECC Opens new window