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An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is a legal requirement in the UK for all landlords to reduce energy consumption and make properties more efficient. Every rental property in the UK needs to have an EPC and meet the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) or face legal penalties.
Energy efficiency has become extremely important, now more than ever, and everyone should play their part in minimising their energy usage. Improving your EPC rating isn’t just about legal compliance but has several other benefits such as low energy bills, reduced carbon footprint, and an increase in the value of your property.
Read on to find out all about Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs), what they are, why you need to improve your EPC rating, and EPC improvements for landlords from an electrical perspective:
An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is a legal document that indicates the energy efficiency levels of a property. It uses calculations based on the Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) to work out the EPC rating and uses a scale of A (most efficient) to G (least efficient).
Both the SAP and EPC are important metrics to deduce how energy efficient a property is and obtaining an EPC is a legal requirement for landlords all over the UK. The EPC not only documents a property’s energy use and costs but also lists recommendations for reducing both.
It is the responsibility of property owners to make sure their property’s EPC is up-to-date, especially if they wish to buy, sell, or rent it out. An EPC is valid for 10 years and is renewed after an inspection conducted by an accredited assessor.
An EPC rating is a measure of how energy-efficient a property is. It ranges from A to G, with A being the most efficient and G being the least efficient. A score out of 100 is given to the property, and the rating is determined by it. Following are the EPC ratings and their corresponding scores:
To check your property’s EPC rating, you need to have an Energy Assessment Survey carried out by a certified assessor who will perform a series of inspections to determine the level of energy efficiency. The EPC assessment is what will help you understand your energy efficiency as well as areas that need improvement.
The certified assessor will visit your property and conduct a thorough inspection of various areas of the property. Following are the key areas that will be checked:
The assessment process usually takes a few hours to complete, the exact time for which depends on the size and complexity of the property. After the assessment is done, the assessor will write up the EPC report which includes the EPC rating for your property as well as any suggestions for improvement for more energy efficiency.
As a landlord in the UK, you have certain responsibilities to fulfil. One of these responsibilities includes having an up-to-date EPC for your rental property. The benefits of getting an EPC include better energy efficiency, lower energy consumption, reduced bills, reduced carbon footprint, increased property value, and compliance with regulatory requirements.
According to the current EPC rules for landlords in the UK, a valid EPC is mandatory if you are planning to sell or rent your property. Also, landlords are obligated to display the EPC to any prospective buyers or tenants to give them a clear idea of the property’s energy efficiency rating.
Previously, properties were supposed to have a minimum EPC rating of E, but, as part of the UK’s plan to be net-zero by the year 2025, it was announced in 2022 that all new tenancies would be required to have a minimum EPC rating of C from 2025, with all tenancies following suit from 2028.
What this implies is that from 2028, all private properties in the UK will have to have an up-to-date EPC with a minimum rating of C to be sold or rented, unless there is a valid exception such as where the landlord has made all the required changes for energy efficiency or where changes cannot be made.
The inability to comply with the EPC standards by 2028 may result in a £30,000 penalty for the rental property and it being labelled as unrentable and unsellable. This could affect millions of landlords and their properties, which is why it makes it extremely important to work towards improving your EPC rating starting today, particularly if your property is on the middle or lower end of the EPC rating scale.
To improve your EPC rating and to comply with the current EPC rules of having an EPC rating of C or more, you must take the necessary steps to improve your property’s energy efficiency and then have an assessor re-inspect your property for a new EPC.
Improving your EPC rating is important for several reasons. Other than it being a legal requirement to make your property more energy efficient and have a minimum EPC rating of C, a higher EPC rating also means lower energy bills which leads to significant cost savings in the long run.
Properties with a higher EPC rating also have a lower carbon footprint and are more environmentally friendly. This is a crucial factor that must drive every landlord to make their property more energy efficient as it helps fight global warming and promotes sustainability.
An energy-efficient property also has better market value and stands stronger against its competitors. Properties with a higher EPC rating are seen as more lucrative to potential buyers and tenants due to lower energy costs and carbon emissions.
There are several ways to make EPC improvements for landlords. Here are a few of the best ways to do so from an electrical perspective:
LED (Light-Emitting Diode) lights have become the number one choice of homeowners, landlords, and business owners to light up their properties, not just in the UK but all over the world. They are a versatile lighting option that offers excellent efficiency and durability and is a great alternative to fluorescent and incandescent lighting.
To improve your property’s EPC rating, switching to LED lights is probably one of the simplest measures you can take. An LED bulb uses 10 times less energy than a standard halogen bulb and allows for great energy and cost savings. A standard halogen bulb uses 50W of energy, while in comparison, an LED bulb can produce the same amount of light using only 5W!
Most LED lights are compatible with your current fixtures and can easily be retrofitted and replaced without a problem. For best results, consult with a professional LED upgrade service for recommendations for the best LED options for your use and the optimal installation angles and positioning.
A fuse box and a consumer unit are technically the same thing. Both are electrical components that control the flow of electricity through your property. However, the latter offers more in terms of protection, performance, energy efficiency, and cost savings.
If you have an old fuse box installed on your property, you need to get it upgraded to a consumer unit for better use and efficiency. Some old fuse boxes are also no longer compliant with the current electrical safety standards, which makes it even more important to speed up the upgrade.
Modern consumer units have special features that can help keep track of your energy consumption and improve your EPC rating. A certified electrician will be able to assess your current fuse box/consumer unit installation and guide you on how to make the upgrade to a better, safer, and more efficient consumer unit.
You may not even realise it, but a lot of your most common appliances use a lot of energy, which leads to increased energy consumption and costs and a lower EPC rating as a result. These appliances include washing machines, dryers, refrigerators, kettles, microwaves, dishwashers, televisions, and heating and cooling systems.
A great way to improve your property’s energy efficiency rating is to switch to energy-efficient appliances which, albeit expensive in terms of initial investment, promise great energy and cost savings in the long run.
When buying appliances for your property, check their energy efficiency label which indicates the level of energy and cost savings that they help achieve. Try to switch the most used appliances for more energy-efficient ones for the most savings and a better EPC rating.
Heating systems play a significant role in a property’s energy consumption. To improve your EPC rating, you may invest in high-efficiency heat pumps and boilers which come with smart controls for the most optimisation.
Electric Underfloor Heating (UFH) is an excellent option if you wish to improve your energy use and is one of the fastest-growing home improvement projects in the UK over the past couple of years.
It uses heat and convection to warm up a room and creates a more constant temperature throughout, without leaving any cold spots. Compared to conventional radiators, electric heating systems consume less energy and are more efficient. Due to the way that UFH works, it provides an average saving of around 15% on your energy bills.
A huge chunk of the population is gravitating towards smart home technology, and all for good reason. Other than providing a great level of comfort and control, a smart home allows for huge energy and cost savings.
Although implementing smart home technology may seem like a big investment considering the high initial costs, the incredible savings over the years will surely make the investment worthwhile.
Some of the best smart home technologies to invest in for the most energy efficiency includes smart thermostats, smart meters, smart heating controls, and smart lights. These smart home devices allow you to track your energy consumption to help you make more informed and responsible decisions in terms of energy use. Also, since they are connected over the internet, they can integrate to create a smart home ecosystem and can be remotely controlled from your smartphone or laptop.
Smart heating controls are a great option to consider if you wish to improve your EPC rating. They allow you to set zones on the property, set different temperatures for different areas, and turn down the system automatically when the house is empty or when the ambient temperature is comfortable enough.
Faulty wiring on your property can not only be a safety hazard that may cause shocks, burns, and electrical fires, but also result in increased energy use due to constant power surges.
If the wiring on your property is too old or shows signs of deterioration including flickering lights, burning smell, scorched or discoloured sockets and switches, circuit breaker repeatedly tripping, and electric shocks, it is time to have it changed.
Upgrading the outdated wiring in your home to modern copper wiring is safer and offers better energy efficiency. Rewiring your property gives you a great chance to design a more reliable and optimised electrical system that leads to minimised energy usage and reduced utility bills.
Switching from traditional energy sources such as fossil fuels to renewable energy such as solar and wind power is a key step in combating climate change and increasing your property’s energy rating.
Many home and business owners in the UK are investing in renewable energy sources due to their amazing benefits. If you are a landlord looking to invest in clean and green energy, solar panels can easily be installed on the roof of your property, if the size of the roof allows it.
There are different types of solar panels that you can choose from. Monocrystalline panels, although more costly, are more efficient and result in greater savings. Polycrystalline panels, on the other hand, are a cheaper option but are less efficient.
Having solar panels installed on your property allows you to generate your own electricity and be independent from the grid. Not only is the electricity produced by the solar panels technically free, minus the installation and maintenance cost, but also allows you to store excess energy in solar battery storage systems for later use.
Electrical testing is a thorough process conducted by a certified electrician to make sure the property’s electrical system and its components are efficient, safe to use, and comply with the electrical safety standards. It includes a visual inspection followed by a more detailed inspection of the wiring, consumer unit, circuits, sockets, switches, and fittings using specialised tools and equipment.
At the end of the in-depth testing procedure, an Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) is generated which reports all the findings of the electrical tests and assigns codes to each component to indicate their level of safety and the urgency of remedial work required.
Electrical testing can help improve your property’s energy efficiency by identifying any faults and potential issues that may hinder the electrical system’s functionality and efficiency. The electrician conducting the tests will also advise on the best ways to make your property more energy efficient.
Calder Electrical has been providing electrical services to residential, commercial, and industrial properties for over 40 years and we are specialists in all aspects of electrical installations, maintenance, testing, and energy-saving practices.
We understand the importance of reducing your energy consumption which will not only help lower your bills but also allow you to play your part in reducing harmful carbon emissions.
Our energy-saving services include installing smart systems for lighting and heating, installing or upgrading to energy-efficient products such as LED lighting, a wide range of smart home solutions, solar panel installation, and ways to maximise an existing solar PV or wind turbine installation so that you can store excess energy.
Contact us here or call us at 0800 612 3001 for a detailed discussion on EPC improvements for landlords and what you can do from an electrical perspective.
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