Since October 2008, all domestic buildings require an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) when they are bought, sold or rented out. An EPC gives information on how to make your home more energy-efficient and reduce carbon dioxide (CO²) emissions.
A Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) rating is provided which measures the energy efficiency of your home using a grade from A to G, similar to the energy performance certificates now provided with domestic appliances such as refrigerators and washing machines where A is very efficient and G is very inefficient. The report also provides recommendations on what you could do to help reduce the amount of energy you use and reduce CO² emissions.
From 1 October 2008 landlords, or their agents, need to provide an EPC whenever a home in the social or private rented sector is let to a new tenant. Landlords, or their agents, must provide an EPC free of charge to prospective tenants at the earliest opportunity. This should be when they are first given written information about the property or view it, and before any rental contract is entered into. An EPC is not required for any property that was occupied before 1 October 2008 and which continues to be occupied after that date by the same tenant.
A number of amendments to the original regulations covering the provision of Energy Performance Certificates have been introduced over subsequent years and were consolidated in December 2012.
The following pdf document provides information to landlords on EPCs.
A guide to energy performance certificates for the construction, sale and let of dwellings (pdf 383kb)
On 9 October 2017, the Government issued guidance on complying with new minimum EPC standards.
The Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) Regulations make it unlawful from 1 April 2018 to let domestic and commercial buildings in England and Wales which do not achieve a minimum Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of 'E'.
With research revealing that around 1 in 20 homes would fail new energy efficiency standards, as they fall into the worst-rated Bands F and G, it is clear that many landlords need to take action to improve the energy efficiency of their properties.
To help, the Department of Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS) has now issued a guidance document for landlords on compliance with the 2018 'Minimum Level of Energy Efficiency' standard, in accordance with the Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property) (England and Wales) Regulations 2015.
You can find more information at the Government's legislation website:
Guidance for landlords and Local Authorities on the minimum level of energy efficiency required to let domestic property under the Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property) (England and Wales) Regulations 2015 (external website)