Unless you have just landed in the UK, you probably know that all the tenancies that started on or after the 1st of October 2008, have to have an Energy Performance Certificate. The EPC shows two things – the Energy Efficiency Rating (relating to running costs) and the Environmental Impact Rating (relating to the carbon dioxide emissions) of a dwelling. Each rating is shown on an A–G rating scale similar to those used for fridges and other electrical appliances.

It is not mandatory for the landlord or agent to put the scores or graphs in the online advertisements of residential rentals but thankfully the bigger estate agents have already started doing it.

Property agent Knight Frank adds a “View EPC Graph” button in the rental listings on their website.

Missing EPC scores will lead tenants thinking that:

a) there is no certificate - without which the tenancy agreement cannot be signed;
b) the agent or landlord doesn’t care - which probably means they are not so good at managing the property either;
c) the score is very low - running costs very high.

Many prospective tenants will put those non-transparent offers aside until they have seen everything else available.

Suggested reading: Energy performance certificates for dwellings in the social and private rented sectors, A guide for landlords (*pdf)

This entry was posted on Sunday, October 26th, 2008 at 12:41 am and is filed under Green, Letting Agents, Property Management, Websites. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.