Energy Performance Certificates (Residents)

Anyone who is selling, renting out or building a property needs an energy performance certificate.  Estate or letting agents will ask for one to display on any promotional materials they use to help sell or rent your property.

A certificate is needed even if there is no heating system at the moment, for example in commercial retail shell units or incomplete dwellings.

For homes, two ratings are shown, the current rating and the potential rating.  The actual energy-efficiency rating is a measure of overall efficiency.  The higher the rating, the more energy-efficient the home is, the lower the associated carbon emissions are and the lower fuel bills are likely to be.

The energy efficiency rating is based on the performance of the building itself and its services (such as heating and lighting), rather than the domestic appliances within it.  The certificate also lists the potential rating indicating what can be achieved if all the cost-effective measures were installed.

Ratings will vary according to the age, location, size and condition of the building.  The potential rating on the certificate will take these factors into account and the suggested measures will be tailored so that they are realistic for the particular building.

Also shown on the EPC is a benchmark rating for an average home in Northern Ireland, again for comparison purposes.

Certificates are valid for 10 years but you should get a new certificate if you carry out any major refurbishment or building work which could change the energy efficiency rating of your property.

You will not need an EPC if:

• you are not selling or renting your property
• you are renting your property and both you and your tenant signed a contract before 30 December 2008
• you are selling your property and the buyer intends to demolish it

Building types that do not need an EPC:

• places of worship
• stand-alone buildings of less than 50 square metres (except for dwellings) or
• temporary buildings

It is the responsibility of the owner or landlord of a property for sale or rent to ensure they have got the certificate.  If the property is under construction, the builder is responsible.

The price is set by market demand so it can vary. For other properties, the cost depends on the size and complexity of the building.

There is a requirement for some commercial buildings that are visited by the public to display an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC).

It is the responsibility of the building occupier to display an EPC and must be displayed in colour and at least A4 in size.  It needs to be located in a prominent place that is clearly visible to members of the public who visit the building.

For more information, visit the Department of Finance website(link opens in new window).

Display Energy Certificates (DECs) inform visitors to public buildings about the energy use of buildings.  A DEC shows the energy performance of a building based on actual energy consumption for the previous 12 months.  A DEC must be accompanied by a valid advisory report which contains recommendations for improving the energy performance of the building and is valid for seven years.  The DEC must be uploaded onto the Energy Performance of Buildings Register (link opens in new window).

An energy assessor, accredited to produce DECs for that type of building, is the only person who can produce a DEC and Advisory Report for your building.  You can find an accredited energy assessor in your area on the Energy Performance of Buildings Register.

All air-conditioning systems with an effective rated output of more than 12kW must be regularly inspected by an energy assessor within five years of its installation and then at five yearly intervals.

The relevant person must ensure that an air-conditioning inspection report (ACIR) has been produced and uploaded onto the Energy Performance of Buildings Register (link opens in new window). The relevant person must also have a copy of the most recent air-conditioning inspection report at all times.

You can only get an ACIR for your building from an energy assessor accredited to produce an ACIR.  You can find an accredited energy assessor on the Digital Communities website (link opens in new window).

For more information about what is an air-conditioning system under the regulations, please visit the Department of Finance air-conditioning inspections (link opens in new window)

The penalty for each offence varies and is laid out in the Energy Performance of Buildings Regulations (NI) (link opens in new window). For example:

• for failing to provide an EPC or failing to display, offenders can be fined up to £200 (dwellings) and £500 – £5,000 (any other property)
• failing to display an EPCthe penalty is £500
• for failing to display a valid DECat all times in a prominent place clearly visible to the public the penalty is £500
• and for failing to have possession of a valid DEC advisory reportthe penalty is £1,000 and
• for failing to have your air-conditioning system inspected or failing to have a copy of the ACIRthe penalty is £300