New guidance on important EPC changes

New guidance has been issued on the use of Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) by the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive in England and Wales.

Changes have been made to the EU measure introduced in 2007, and the main requirements will be initiated on 9^th January 2013.

From this date, agents will have to include EPC details on all property advertising, although the obligation to include the front page of the EPC will be dropped. In addition, listed buildings will no longer need to have an EPC.

New Guidance on Important EPC Changes

Property advertising can include newspapers, magazine, online, and property details. All will be required to clearly show the property’s rating. However, it is no longer a necessity to attach the front page of the EPC to written material. Listed buildings will also become exempt from needing an EPC, unless they have a Green Deal arrangement.

The statement by Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) minister Don Foster has taken the industry by surprise. It says: “The new requirements will be introduced on 9^th January 2013. The key measures include a requirement for property advertisements to include details of the Energy Performance Certificate rating where available; removal of the requirement to attach the front page of the certificate to any written material; exempting listed buildings from the need to have a certificate on their sale or rent.”

Philip Salaman, of EPC training and accreditation scheme Quidos, thinks that the statement ridicules the Government’s intention to become the greenest government.

“These changes to the regulations by the DCLG are a backward step,” he says. “Far from being the greenest government ever, they are proving that cuts to budgets are being followed by cuts to regulations that encourage saving energy.”

He goes to explain his concerns, “Compliance is very poor already, and this will only make things worse. An EPC provides valid information whether you are in a Georgian home in Bath or a modern build in Milton Keynes, so why remove the requirement for listed buildings to have an EPC?”¹

More information on the changes can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/improving-the-energy-efficiency-of-our-buildings.

¹ http://old.lettingagenttoday.co.uk/news_features/New-guidance-issued-on-all-important-EPC-changes