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Order online 24/7 or by phone 0203 6338409 from 9am to 6pm Monday to Friday
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Fixed fee of £96 including VAT for up to 3 bedrooms and just £12 extra for each additional bedroom
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Appointments available next working day
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Fast turn around, receive the EPC link within two working days following the site survey
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Local knowledgeable surveyors
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All surveyors are fully insured and DBS checked every 2 years
What is an EPC?
An Energy Performance Certificate (or EPC) is a document which ‘grades’ a property’s energy efficiency as well as the environmental impact from A to G.
Homeowners in Watford need to be proactive with their energy efficiency measures to help save our planet from harmful carbon emissions. An EPC certificate contains information about energy costs and efficiency as well as recommendations on how to save energy and money while reducing environmental impact. Once completed, an EPC is valid for 10 years. We pride ourselves on our affordable and speedy service.
Being based locally, we are ideally placed to provide you with a cheap EPC in Watford.
Who needs an EPC?
If you are building, renting or selling a property in Watford, an EPC is a legal requirement (and has been since 2007). Whether yours is a new build apartment or a Georgian style semi-detached, make sure it has an EPC.
Why is having an EPC so important?
Having an EPC is a legal requirement if you are building, renting or selling a property in Watford. There is also an increasing focus on the UK reducing its carbon emissions, which is being led by government. Being compliant now will mean that you are covered in the eventuality that more stringent measures are enforced.
On 1 April 2018, the UK Government introduced a Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES). The standard applies to private rented residential and non-domestic properties. It aims to encourage landlords and property owners to be more energy efficient. Achieved by restricting the tenancies on the sale of properties that fall below the ‘standard’ which is currently grade E. From 1st April 2020, ALL private rental properties must achieve an energy efficiency rating of E or above. Click here, for more information.
Top tips for a better EPC rating
- Install energy efficient, low energy light bulbs wherever possible.
- Insulate hot water tanks – insulation plays a huge part in EPC ratings.
- Fit loft insulation. If our assessors cannot see that the loft is insulated, because we cannot gain loft access or because the loft is boarded over, please have any paperwork available to prove loft insulation is fitted.
- Invest in cavity wall insulation. If you have cavity wall insulation which is not visible due to rendering etc, make sure you have the relevant paperwork available.
- Invest in double glazed windows. If double-glazed windows have been fitted post-2002, and the date is not visible in the units, paperwork must be available to show the installation date.
- Boiler information: We will try to establish the exact make and model of the gas, electric or oil heating boiler. Where this is possible, establishing the boilers details from visual inspection can be difficult, so please have any information manuals or service history available.
FAQ's
The Energy Assessor visits the property to collect the required data for assessing energy features based on the construction, type of dwelling, and relevant fittings (i.e, heating systems, insulation, windows, fixed outlets, lighting, etc). Please allow easy and full access for the assessor to inspect all heating and lighting fixtures/fittings including the boilers, hot water cylinders and the electric meter. The entire onsite process generally takes 30 minutes to 1 hour. Following the assessment, an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is generated using government-approved software, which typically takes 1-3 business days, and will be emailed to you once ready. Once the EPC is lodged it will appear on the national Domestic EPC register.
The EPC should not be read as a comment on the overall condition of the property, nor will it cover any items that would be included in a building survey.
An EPC is a legal requirement for the property to be marketed for sale or let. The certificate is valid for 10 years although it is recommended to renew the certificate every time works are carried out to the property that could improve its energy performance ie. replacement boiler/windows, loft or wall insulation.
The surveyor will need access to and will complete a visual inspection of:
- Every room within the property Including the basement and loft (measurements will be taken of each floor to establish the total area of the property)
- Boiler
- Hot water cylinder
- Windows
- Light bulbs
- Gas and electricity metres
- Radiators / heating appliances
- Manufacturers documentation for boiler / heating appliance to confirm make, model and age
- planning consent / completion certificates
- Photos will be taken of the above for auditing purposes
An Energy Performance Certificate survey takes on average anywhere from twenty minutes for a studio apartment, to an hour for larger properties. The main determining factor is the size of the property but the layout of the property can also be a factor. Commercial, or Non-Domestic surveys can take considerably longer with some large commercial buildings taking a full day or even longer.
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It’s simple to find out if you already have an energy performance certificate online. All energy performance certificates are lodged on the gov.uk website. As the certificate is valid for 10 years, many people are unaware when the previous owner had the certificate issued, or simply forget. Checking if you have an EPC online is completely free.
You can check the EPC online register for Domestic / Residential properties here: https://find-energy-certificate.digital.communities.gov.uk/find-a-certificate/search-by-postcode?lang=en&property_type=domestic
For Non-Domestic / Commercial buildings you can check the database here: https://find-energy-certificate.digital.communities.gov.uk/find-a-non-domestic-certificate/search-by-postcode?lang=en&property_type=non_domestic
If you do not have an Energy performance certificate, or if the energy performance certificate has expired you could be fined. In order to avoid these kinds of unnecessary costs, all you need to do is provide an energy performance certificate. The approximate fine for failing to provide a residential energy performance certificate is £500, and for other types of properties, it could go as high as £5000.
If you are looking to sell a property then there are no minimum requirements, you simply need to have a valid energy performance certificate. Rental properties now have a minimum requirement of E or above. If the property fails to meet the minimum requirement then you will not be able to move tenants in (see MEES below)
Your rating explained
The EPC certificate will grade the energy efficiency levels of the property with a rating from A-G; A being the most efficient, G being the least efficient. The higher the rating, the more energy-efficient the building is.
Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) Legislation
Since 1 April 2020, landlords in Watford can no longer let or continue to let properties covered by the MEES Regulations if they have an EPC rating below E, unless they have a valid exemption in place.
If you are currently planning to let a property with an EPC rating of F or G, you need to improve the property’s rating to E, or register an exemption, before you enter into a new tenancy.
If you are currently letting a property with an EPC rating of F or G, and you haven’t already taken action, you must improve the property’s rating to E immediately, or register an exemption.
If your property is currently empty, and you are not planning to let it, you don’t need to take any action to improve its rating until you decide to let it again.
Being based locally we can move quickly to provide you with a Landlord EPC in Watford.
Funding improvements to your property
The cost cap: you will never be required to spend more than £3,500 (including VAT) on energy efficiency improvements.
If you cannot improve your property to EPC E for £3,500 or less, you should make all the improvements which can be made up to that amount, then register an ‘all improvements made’ exemption.
There are 3 ways to fund the improvements to your property:
If you are able to secure third-party funding to cover the full cost of improving your property to EPC E, you can use this and you don’t need to invest your own funding:
- the cost cap does not apply
- you should make use of all the funding you secure to get your property to band E, or if possible higher. Funding can include:
- Energy Company Obligation (ECO)
- local authority grants
- Green Deal finance
If you can secure third-party funding but it is:
- less than £3,500, and
- not enough to improve your property to EPC E
you may need to top up with your own funds to the value of the cost cap.
Please note
- you can count any energy efficiency investment made to your property since 1 October 2017 within the cost cap
- if your property can be improved to E for less than the cost cap, that is all you need to spend
If you are unable to secure any funding, you need to use your own funds to improve your property. You will never need to spend more than the cost cap.
You do not need to spend up to £3,500 if your property can be improved to EPC E for less. If you can improve your property to E for less than the cap, you will have met your obligation.
If it would cost more than £3,500 to improve your property to E, you should install all recommended measures that can be installed within that amount, then register an exemption.
If you have made any energy efficiency improvements to your property since 1 October 2017, you can include the cost of those improvements within the £3,500 cost cap.
MEES do not apply to:
Buildings not legally required to have an EPC.
These can include some listed buildings, places of worship, temporary properties, some HMOs (House of Multiple Occupancy) and holidays lets.
Short or very long terms lets.
MEES does not apply to rentals of less than six months or more than 99 years.
Registering an exemption
There are various exemptions that apply to the prohibition on letting a property with an energy efficiency rating below E.
If your property meets the criteria for any of the exemptions, you will be able to let it once you have registered the exemption on the PRS Exemptions Register.
Information required for all exemptions
- address of the property
- type of exemption you are registering
- copy of a valid EPC for the property
‘All relevant improvements made’ exemption
Register this exemption if the property is still below EPC E after improvements have been made up to the cost cap (£3,500 including VAT), or there are none that can be made.
This exemption lasts 5 years. After that it will expire and you must try again to improve the property’s EPC rating to E. If it is still not possible, you may register a further exemption.
To register this exemption, you need to provide this additional information:
- if you didn’t rely on your EPC report to select measures appropriate for your property, and instead opted for a report prepared by a surveyor for example, you must provide a copy of that report
- details, including date of installation, of all recommended improvements you made at the property (unless none were recommended)
‘High cost’ exemption
Register this exemption if no improvement can be made because the cost of installing even the cheapest recommended measure would exceed £3,500 (including VAT).
This exemption lasts 5 years. After that it will expire and you must try again to improve the property’s EPC rating to E. If it is still not possible, you may register a further exemption.
To register this exemption, you need to provide this additional information:
- 3 quotes from qualified installers for purchasing and installing the cheapest recommended measure, demonstrating that the cost would exceed £3,500 (including VAT)
- written confirmation that you are satisfied that the measure exceeds £3,500 (including VAT)
Wall insulation exemption
Register this exemption if the only relevant improvements for your property are:
- cavity wall insulation
- external wall insulation
- or internal wall insulation (for external walls)
AND
you have obtained written expert advice showing that these measures would negatively impact the fabric or structure of the property (or the building of which it is part).
This exemption lasts 5 years. After that it will expire and you must try again to improve the property’s EPC rating to E. If it is still not possible, you may register a further exemption.
To register this exemption, you need to provide this additional information:
- a copy of the written opinion of a relevant expert stating that the property cannot be improved to an EPC E because a recommended wall insulation measure would have a negative impact on the property (or the building of which it is part)
Third-party consent exemption
Register this exemption if the relevant improvements for your property need consent from another party, such as a tenant, superior landlord, morgagee, freeholder or planning department, and despite your best efforts that consent cannot be obtained, or is given subject to conditions you could not reasonably comply with.
This exemption lasts:
- 5 years
- or, where lack of tenant consent was the issue, until the current tenancy ends or is assigned to a new tenant
In either case, once the exemption comes to an end, you need to try again to improve the EPC rating of the property, or register a further exemption.
To register this exemption, you need to provide this additional information:
- copies of any correspondence and/or relevant documentation (such as a letter from your tenant, or a planning department decision notification) demonstrating that consent for the recommended measure was required and sought, and that this consent was refused, or was granted subject to a condition that you were not reasonably able to comply with
Property devaluation exemption
Register this exemption if you have evidence showing that making energy efficiency improvements to your property would devalue it by more than 5%. In order to register this exemption you will need a report from an independent surveyor. This surveyor needs:
- to be on the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) register of valuers
- to advise that the installation of the relevant improvement measures would reduce the market value of the property, or the building it forms part of, by more than 5%
This exemption lasts 5 years. After that it will expire and you must try again to improve the property’s EPC rating to E. If it is still not possible, you may register a further exemption.
To register this exemption, you need to provide this additional information:
- a copy of the report prepared by an independent RICS surveyor that provides evidence that the installation of the recommended measures would devalue to property by more than 5%
Temporary exemption due to recently becoming a landlord
If you have recently become a landlord under certain circumstances (see section 4.1.6 in Chapter 4 of the full Guidance document for details of those circumstances) you will not be expected to take immediate action to improve your property to EPC E. You may claim a 6 months exemption from the date you became a landlord.
This exemption lasts 6 months from the date you became the landlord. After that it will expire and you must have either:
- improved the property to EPC E
- or registered another valid exemption, if one applies
To register this exemption, you need to provide this additional information:
- the date on which you became the landlord for the property
- the circumstances under which you became the landlord
What are the benefits of getting an Energy Performance Certificate?
An energy performance certificate is a legal requirement and includes recommendations as to how you can improve your property’s energy efficiency which as a result will save you money and help the environment. So get the ball rolling and click the link to buy your EPC in Watford.