What is an EPC and Why Do I Need One?

New feed-in tariff rules require level 'D' Energy Performance Certificates

From April, customers installing solar PV will be required to produce an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) of a minimum of level D in order to claim the full feed-in tariff rate. Those who do not supply this as part of their FIT application will receive a lower tariff for the full duration of the tariff lifetime.

An EPC is an energy efficiency assessment of your home; all properties require one when they are built, sold or rented. Like appliances, they are rated from A to G with 'A' being the highest level of efficiency. They contain information about the current performance of your property and give you a rank based on this. They also make recommendations about measures you could introduce to make your home more efficient, reduce your carbon emissions and boost your rating. D is the average rating for houses in the UK; it is estimated that around 50% of houses are below this level.

To get a mock EPC, you can go to the Energy Saving Trust website and do their home energy check.

In the main, your EPC rating will be based on a few key factors:

When your property was built.

Whether the property is insulated and to what degree.

How modern the heating system is and what fuel is used.

The property's ventilation characteristics.

Getting an EPC

We will give you an indication of your likely rating based on information you give us about your property. However, we won't be able to tell you officially without actually having an EPC done by a trained assessor. Doing this generally costs in the region of £40-£80 and it's worth going with a trusted assessor that will take the time to thoroughly survey your home and take everything into account.

This is something we will help you with, as ever since the consultation response on the 9th of February, we've been busy steadily building up a network of trusted assessors so that you don't have to worry about sorting this out yourself.

During the assessment you can make it easier for your assessor by telling him about any measures you have installed. If you have had cavity insulation it's not always easy to see without knowing it's there and it could mean you get a lower rating than you deserve.

It is also worth noting that, in some cases, installing a solar PV or solar thermal system will boost your rate enough to raise your EPC level to a D. We will let you know if this is the case for your property.

In order to get an idea of your EPC rating and book a solar survey, call your local office. We'll make the process easy.