What is an energy efficiency certificate?

An energy efficiency certificate is just another name for an energy performance certificate (EPC), which is a report detailing the efficiency of your property – be it a residential or commercial building. It takes into account factors such as the function of rooms, heating and ventilation systems and insulation.

When do you need an EPC?

If you are selling or renting a commercial property, claiming money from the Feed-in Tariff, or signing off on a new build.

A domestic EPC is not mandatory, but can help you identify ways to improve the energy efficiency of your home.

EPCs are valid for 10 years, unless the property undergoes considerable restructuring works.

Commercial vs. Domestic EPCs

The fundamental difference between commercial and domestic EPCs is that a commercial EPC takes into account how the premises is used – a domestic EPC is always carried out on a home, but a commercial property could contain separate office space, storage or production areas. in a commercial EPC, these areas are ‘zoned’ and surveyed separately.

Commercial EPCs look into all types of building structures – the only prerequisite is that they have a shell and a core and can be conditioned. On the other hand a domestic property always has a bathroom, bedrooms, a living room and kitchen. The bigger variety in the shape, size and use of commercial rooms makes the assessment process much broader, with more things to consider. It means there is a bigger range of possible heating, ventilation and cooling systems.

Find more information in our blogs or give us a call if you have any questions!

When you are getting your EPC carried out on a commercial property the costs can be fairly high in comparison to a domestic property. Why is this? Well there is a fair bit more to do than a domestic certificate, and the cost of lodgement is much higher. If you have a large complicated building, like a multi storey hotel, office or factory, it can be very time consuming to put together the dimensions for the building and create zones for all those different areas.

How to keep your costs down

When you get a quote from us, we will take into account a number of different factors in calculating the final price. The sort of things we consider are: the size of the property, the complexity of the building, the location and the heating, cooling and hot water systems.
All these things will contribute to the final price, but there is one way you can make our lives much easier – scale floor plans will save a lot of time, and mean we don’t have to go around measuring every single room. In a larger property, this could make the difference between a 3 hour visit and a 6 hour visit.
As such, if you happen to have scale floor plans available for us to use, please let us know when we quote you. Depending on the property we may be able to offer you a 10% discount on the final price! If you don’t have plans, don’t worry, we can take measurements on site ourselves.
Additionally, if you have any data on the HVAC system, insulation or the lighting in the building, we may be able to improve the rating on the EPC – so let us have this information in advance or during the visit. We can’t add this data into the software after we have lodged the report unless a re-lodgement fee is paid.

Give us a call today to talk through your options!

Are you a sales or letting agent based in London looking to outsource your EPCs? Get in touch with us here at London EPC. We have a huge number of domestic/commercial energy assessors on our books, all qualified to carry out EPC reports professionally and efficiently.

London EPC – The home of certified energy assessors

We know for many letting agents that an EPC is just a piece of paper, but our team of London-based energy assessors take pride in the level of service we offer to our clients. We already have an extensive client base in the city and we are looking to expand our operations even further.

Requirements of Estate Agents

At London EPC we also recognise that sometimes things need to be turned around on very tight deadlines. We have energy assessors all over London, so typically we can complete EPCs within 24 hours, if not on the same day!

London EPC – reliable and professional Energy Performance Certificates

We also know that we need to be competitive when it comes to the price of carrying out EPCs – however there is also a price that comes with reliability and professionalism. All our assessors have excellent interpersonal skills, making London EPC the ideal business partner to help drive your business further.

If you are interested in engaging London EPC to carry out commercial EPC or domestic EPC surveys then please do get in touch on 0208 8192166 and lets see if we can help!

There can be confusion as to what actually constitutes a domestic EPC and when you might need a commercial EPC on your property even though it is being used as a dwelling. Here we are going to try and give a definitive explanation of the differences in the context of dwellings.

Renting individual rooms

If your property has individual rooms that are being rented out, the key thing is going to be whether each room is a self-contained unit. That means, is the room you are renting a unit with its own kitchen and bathroom, or is it simply a room with shared bathroom and kitchen facilities?

If you have a self-contained unit, then each one of those units is going to need a domestic EPC. If you have a property with several rooms being rented out and shared amenities, then you will need a commercial certificate.

Why? Well it seems that the regulations tend to treat the latter as a business, and therefore a commercial property, even though the local council may have designated the property as domestic and not a hotel or bed and breakfast, for instance.

Why a commercial EPC for a dwelling?

It may seem a little odd to do a commercial EPC for a domestic property, but there is a good reason behind this. The RdSAP software is extremely restrictive in the way it models a property, and it has been concluded by the powers that be that it does not model shared dwellings particularly well. The non-domestic software is a lot more detailed, and can model a much wider variety of buildings – meaning that it can produce a much better representation of this sort of dwelling than the domestic software.

What does this mean for you?

As a landlord or agent, that means you will need to pay a little more and get a non-domestic EPC performed rather than a standard domestic certificate. Cost wise, you are looking at £120 upward for a commercial certificate, where you may only be paying £50 for a domestic. It may be a little frustrating, but it is better to get the right certificate as you don’t want any problems with you sale or letting later on. You may find a rogue assessor willing to try and pass the building off as a domestic property, but they are likely to get found out at the audit stage, meaning your EPC could be cancelled without warning, and you will probably need to pay for a commercial certificate down the road anyway.

Feed-in Tariff payments and shared spaces

Another situation that we see on occasion is where a block of flats or set of apartments has had solar PV installed or another renewable, and the owner is looking to claim the feed-in tariff payment. For the majority of properties, a PV system is only hooked up to a specific property and a domestic certificate is fine to claim the tariff. If, however, the PV is hooked up to the lighting or heating in a shared space like a corridor or stairwell, then a commercial certificate will be required for this specific space in order to claim the tariff. This may seem a little odd because you will end up with EPCs for stairwells and corridors, in some cases only a few meters each. This is simply a quirk of the system unfortunately – if your small corridor has a rating of E or lower, it could cause some problems claiming your feed in tariff at the full rate.

What kind of EPC do I need?

If you are in any doubt about your property and which type of EPC you need, you should give us a call. We can refer your specific query direct to our accreditation body, who can give you a definitive answer as to the EPC you need.

Energy Performance Certificates were introduced in 2007 to measure the efficiency of buildings. As EPCs need to be renewed every 10 years, the first generation of EPC holders may now require new surveys.

Commercial EPC

Getting an EPC done will give you pointers on how to make your business premises more efficient, saving you money on bills which can go towards other projects. Further to this, legally you must display an EPC if:

1. the total useful floor area is over 500 square meters
2. the building is frequently visited by the public
3. an EPC has already been produced for the building’s sale, rental or construction
4. you are planning to rent or sell the property

If you fail to comply, you could be fined between £500 and £5,000 based on the value of the building,

Domestic EPC

You’ll need a domestic EPC if you are renting or selling a property. If you’re a landlord, it is more important than ever to ensure your EPC certificate is up to date. Since April 2016, tenants have had the right to request certain energy efficiency improvements that the landlord may not reasonably refuse. Renting a property with a recent EPC allows them to see what measures could be taken to lower their energy bills.

It is already a legal requirement for landlords to have an EPC conducted prior to rental, but as of spring 2018, landlords will not be able to rent out properties unless they hold an EPC rated E. Landlords face a fine of up to £4000 for non-compliance. It’s therefore well worth spending a small amount of money on an assessment now!

Don’t let it slip your mind – we know life can get in the way and it’s easy to forget these things – book ahead to make sure you’re not rushing around trying to get a new EPC at the last minute.

Get in touch if you need a domestic or commercial EPC!

Under official guidelines, a church, (as a place of worship) does not require a EPC. However from time to time, we still get requests to carry out a commercial EPC on a church. The reason for this tends to be solar PV and claiming the Feed-in Tariff.

Typically, churches are old buildings and as such are very inefficient, but since they aren’t used all the time it is rare for them to have traditional central heating systems. Instead they often have maintenance-free electric heating (such as infrared heating). This can be turned on and off very easily and will quickly heat the space inside the church, ensuring the visitors are kept nice and warm.

Solar PV on a church requires commercial EPC to claim FIT

Electric heating, while convenient on paper, is more expensive to run than gas central heating, so often the energy bills in churches are very high. This is why some churches have solar panels installed on their roof – these provide a large amount of free electricity to help meet some of the demand of heating the interior space. In addition, under the government’s Feed-in Tariff scheme, the owners of the system are paid for the electricity produced, providing a small secondary income stream for the church.

In order to claim the Feed-in Tariff, the church requires a commercial EPC. This is why, despite it not being legally required, many churches across London still get in touch with us to get a commercial EPC carried out.

Price of commercial EPC for a church

Price-wise, a commercial EPC for an average sized church is £350 + VAT, but we can always provide a more accurate quote provided we have the address of the property. If you need a commercial EPC for a church in London, get in touch today!

Selling or renting a house is not a cheap process when you take in to account the legal fees and estate agency fees. It is easy though to let these professionals to get on with it, as it removes a great deal of the headache from the process.

One of the things often included as part of the estate agent’s service is for them to organise an EPC to be carried out on your property – the EPC (energy performance certificate) is just one of the documents required by law for you to be able to sell or rent your property.

Estate agents charge commission to carry out EPC

Now while it is very convenient for your estate agent to organise the EPC for your property, they will unfortunately normally charge commission, and a lot of it – so this can take the price for an EPC up from £40-50 to £150 – £200.

An EPC can be carried out by any registered energy assessor – you can find one from the list by clicking below. You simply put in your postcode and it will give you a list of local (and cheaper) energy assessors.

>>> Find a registered energy assessor <<<

If you are looking to get an epc carried out in the London area, then it is worth speaking to us. We have a team covering the whole of the UK, and the prices for a domestic EPC are set based on the number of bedrooms of the property. We are also able to go and pick up keys from the estate agent if required – this is all part of the service we offer.

Avoid estate agents high EPC costs – use a local energy assessor!

So, yes, your estate agent can sort you out with an EPC, but going direct to an assessor (or EPC company like ours!) is much much better value. It is also likely that the survey will be carried out sooner than if organised by a third party. So there you have it, one extra phone call and you save yourself potentially over £100 – getting an estate agent to organise an EPC might be convenient, but you definitely pay for the privilege, especially when finding a local assessor is so easy!

If you require an EPC and are based in the London area, call us on 0208 8192166.

The UK has one of the oldest housing stocks in Europe and, unfortunately, with age comes inefficiency. Older properties, particularly those built prior to the 1930s with solid wall construction, leak heat.

This is a particular problem in the private rental market where tenants have to pay the energy bills, but they are not in a position to lower them by installing meaningful energy efficiency solutions such as solid wall insulation or new energy efficient boilers.

Since April 2016, tenants have had the right to request certain energy efficiency improvements that the landlord may not unreasonably refuse.

Building on that, the Government is also proposing that from April 2018, landlords will not be able to rent out properties unless they hold an EPC rated E. (Find out more about EPCs here.)

Has the government gone far enough?

Whilst it is an encouraging sign that the government is starting to take energy efficiency more seriously, we feel that a lot more could be done. Introducing minimum standards is a great idea, but an E rating is very straightforward to achieve on most homes.

For the vast majority of homes, a relatively modern heating system and basic draught proofing and loft insulation will get them up to an E rating at least. We feel that instead of giving a rating level to achieve, the policy could be to ensure that certain measures are made mandatory.

For example, if cavity wall insulation, or loft insulation are recommended on a rental property, it should be installed. If the heating system has an efficiency rating below a certain level, it should be replaced. This would ensure that each property is treated the same and that these basic measures have been carried out in all rented properties.

Why should landlords embrace it?

As of spring 2018, landlords face a fine of up to £4000 for non-compliance. This means that in theory they would have to make a significant financial outlay in some cases to ensure that they can rent their properties.

However, at the moment, the ECO (Energy Companies Obligation) means landlords can have measures installed in their properties at no up front cost, with the tenant repaying the cost in their electricity bills. ECO is a grant, either means tested or paid out based on postcode.

In the long run, energy efficient properties will be more attractive since the tenants moving in will be able to pay less each month on their bills. There really is no reason why landlords can’t act now and start the ball rolling – there are plenty of ways to improve your property and it doesn’t have to cost a fortune.

Get in touch with us for an EPC!

Looking for a local EPC assessor in London? You have come to the right place! London EPC is the capital’s foremost energy assessment organisation. We have 12 local assessors covering all different parts of London, ensuring a fast efficient turnaround of your energy assessment. None of our assessments are carried out by subcontractors – all the London EPC assessors work directly for the company!

Since the EPC is carried out by a local EPC assessor, we tend to be able to turn the energy certificate around within 24 hours from booking. All commercial EPC prices are pre-agreed prior to the survey being carried out though, so no nasty surprises when you receive the invoice for the report!

Price of Domestic EPC in London

All our domestic energy surveys also have set prices depending on the number of bedrooms – these prices can be seen below.

• 1-3 bedrooms: £65
• 4+ bedrooms: £75+

We pride ourselves on our customer service, all of our assessors are friendly and courteous –they are also hugely experienced and fully with the award winning accreditation body Stroma. 

At London EPC, we can carry out both Domestic EPC and Commercial EPC.  If you are letting or selling your property within London, then give us a call!

For the vast majority of commercial properties, a standard level 3 or 4 EPC is appropriate and will be sufficient to meet your obligations. Most NDEAs (Non-Domestic Energy Assessors) are trained for level 3 and level 4 EPCs because these are the most common types of building.
Level 5 EPCs are a bit different, and are only required on buildings with complex features, like domed or glass roofed atria, or demand controlled ventilation systems. To have a level 5 EPC, the whole property is 3D modelled in a software package, called a Dynamic System Model (DSM), which requires a deeper level of detail and far more work for the assessor than a standard EPC.

Do I need a Level 5 EPC?

Chances are that you don’t. As an assessor who has carried out hundreds of commercial EPCs, I can count on one hand the amount of level 5s I have come across. Even a big complex building like an office block, a warehouse, or a factory may well be a level 3 or 4. When you call us to book an EPC, we will take you through a number of questions that will help determine your quote – it will usually be evident that the property in question requires a Level 5 EPC and we will then advise of the requirements.

Are there benefits of a DSM EPC?

Whilst you would normally only get a DSM carried out if you require a level 5 EPC, a DSM can be carried out on more simple properties if you wish. Whilst the cost will be greater, a DSM will provide a greater level of detail and a more accurate reflection the property, but you need to ensure that all the relevant data and information is available to make the extra expense worth it, otherwise you may find the cheaper standard model EPC will provide what you need.
If you decide to get a DSM produced, you should really make sure you have the maximum amount of information possible available to the assessor company. Typically we will ask for pdf versions or CAD files for the elevations and floorplans of the property which will go straight into the software and help expedite the creation of the model. If these files are not available, expect an additional fee for the assessor to carry out a full survey and produce these documents.
Further, ensure that you have any schematics for your air conditioning, heating, insulation and lighting. Any detail that you can offer for these attributes are going to mean you end up with a more accurate (and usually higher rated) EPC. If you cannot provide this information, chances are that defaults will have to be assumed, and it calls in to doubt the worth of a more expensive DSM EPC if a simple EPC will do.

How much does a Level 5 EPC cost?

Costs will vary massively depending on the building, but it is difficult to get a DSM carried out for less than £500 even for a simple building. We typically see prices for multi storey buildings anywhere from £1,000 up to £3,000. This is because the desktop work involved is extensive and will take several days for the assessor and their team to complete, with a day long site visit also required.

Where can I get a Level 5 EPC?

London EPC is able to offer a full range of EPC services including level 5 EPCs. If you think your property requires an EPC of any type, just give us a call and we will discuss your requirements.