There are some properties that are exempted from having an EPC. In this blog we are going to take a look at some of these properties and find out if your property is exempt.
The first thing to say is that the vast majority of properties will require an EPC. These exemptions are pretty rare and even if they do apply, many mortgage providers and other institutions will insist on an EPC being carried out anyway.
Listed Properties
If you have a listed property it will not need an EPC in order to be sold. Listed properties tend to have very unusual construction types and would have to be altered dramatically to meet modern standards for energy efficiency. This is obviously not very desirable for a property which should not be significantly altered in order to preserve it; it is therefore not necessary to have an EPC carried out.
There is nothing stopping you from getting an EPC however, as in some cases it could still be useful. Properties are listed for any number of reasons – not all are 15th century cottages. It is perfectly possible to improve some of these buildings without detracting from their heritage status.
Temporary Buildings of 2 Years or Less
If a building is designed to be used for less than 2 years, then an EPC is not necessary. It is very unusual for a temporary building to be bought or sold however, so this is unlikely to come up very much. There is a slight grey area where temporary buildings become permanent. There are plenty of instances where a temporary structure has hung around for several years and should probably therefore be considered as a permanent building.
Places of Worship
If the main purpose of a building is as a place of worship then it will not require an EPC. Church halls and other peripheral buildings may need an EPC however if there is another use – many church halls are used for nurseries for example and would need an EPC when being sold or let. This is somewhat understandable because many religious buildings are old and of non-standard construction, making it very difficult to improve their energy efficiency.
Industrial sites, Workshops and Agricultural Buildings
There are some exemptions for industrial buildings that use very little energy to condition. The important part to note here is that an EPC does not consider energy used in industrial processes. You can have an industrial building that uses loads of electricity but is not conditioned in any way, because the EPC does not consider this process energy it will not show this in the final EPC.
You should be very careful to write off a property as exempt in this situation however. There are a lot of grey areas which can complicate the situation so make sure your property is exempt or you could end up with a fine.
Small Detached Buildings
Any small detached building less than 50 square meters in area is exempt from EPCs. It is important to note the word ‘detached’ here; if the building is adjoining any other then it will not be exempt.
Buildings due to be Demolished
A building due for demolition with all the relevant permissions in place will not need an EPC. This is obviously very sensible as the energy performance of a building due to be demolished is completely irrelevant. Having said that, we have carried out EPCs on these types of buildings simply due to bank red tape before, so whilst there is no government legislation requiring them, other institutions may do.
Vacant Buildings
If a property is classed as in vacant possession, or it is vacant and due to be demolished, then it should not need an EPC.
Feed in Tariff, ECO and Grant Applications
The exception to all the above exemptions is where someone is applying for a government grant like the Feed In Tariff, RHI or an ECO grant. In these circumstances an EPC will be required irrespective if the building is a place of worship, listed or any other of the above. This is because the payment made under these schemes is dependent on the energy performance of the building.
You may also get requests for an EPC from other institutions like a bank or mortgage provider. If they require an EPC then this is up to them, so you may need to get one done even if one of the above applies.
But don’t worry, the EPC is really straight-forward and relatively cheap to do. Just give us a call and book yours in!
There are some properties that are exempted from having an EPC. In this blog we are going to take a look at some of these properties and find out if your property is exempt.
The first thing to say is that the vast majority of properties will require an EPC. These exemptions are pretty rare and even if they do apply, many mortgage providers and other institutions will insist on an EPC being carried out anyway.