In the UK, Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) are an essential part of buying, selling and renting homes.
What is an EPC rating?
In short, an EPC rating is a review of a property’s energy efficiency. They’re primarily used by would-be buyers or renters to quickly see how much their energy bills will cost in their new house or flat.
Your house’s EPC rating will depend on:
- The amount of energy used per m²
- The level of carbon dioxide emissions (given in tonnes per year)
Once issued, the EPC will be valid for 10 years – if your EPC is older than this, you’ll need to get a new EPC issued before you can sell or rent your house.
But there’s a bit more to it than that. EPCs are also a useful tool for homeowners to improve the efficiency, running cost and thus the overall comfort of their home.
The importance of a high EPC rating
Apart from listed buildings, every house needs to have a valid EPC before it can be sold. The EPC rating makes for a much easier comparison between houses, particularly when potential buyers are forced to make a tough call between several homes. Even at a glance, almost anyone would opt for the high-scoring, A-rated, green property over the low scoring, G-rated, red one.
If the latter is the case for your home, don’t worry; the Energy Performance Certificate explains what steps can be take. So, improving the energy efficiency of your home now will stand you in good stead when it comes to selling.
Once you’ve made the improvements, it’s a good idea to have a new survey done to reflect these changes.
In recent developments, some mortgage companies are only offering certain products to customers purchasing homes with a certain EPC rating or better.
The importance of an EPC when it comes to switching to a Heat Pump
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS) provides government funding of £7,500 off the upfront cost of getting a heat pump system designed and installed. To be eligible you need to be able to satisfy certain criteria and that includes having no outstanding wall or roof insulation issues outstanding on your valid EPC.
We are here to help
We can check everything for you and advise of any changes you’d need to make to ensure you received the BUS funding.
Want to find out how much your Heat Pump will cost?
Why not take our quick Home Survey and we’ll be able to let you know if your home is suitable for a heat pump, confirm your eligibility for the available government funding and also let you have a quote. It shouldn’t take more than a couple of minutes. Click here to get started.
