Energy Performance Certificates
From 1 October 2008, by law, all rented properties will require Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) to be available on letting.
The purpose of the EPC is to show prospective tenants the energy performance of the building they are planning to occupy. The EPC must be provided free of charge. The EPC shows the energy efficiency rating (relating to running costs) and the Environmental Impact rating (relating to C02 emissions rating) of the property. They are shown on an A – G rating scale similar to those used for fridges and other electrical appliances; The certificate will be accompanied by a recommendation report that contains recommendations on how to improve the building’s energy efficiency. However, there is no statutory requirement to carry out any of the recommended measures.
Landlords will need to give basic details of the EPC score on marketing and when a property is let make the certificate available to tenants (in electronic format from a central website or a paper copy).
We will provide more information to tenants and to landlords as October comes closer. All adverts will be able to show basic graphical information and a link to the full certificate.
Until that time both students and landlords might find the Home Energy Check facility on the Energy Saving Trust website useful. This produces a cut down version of the EPC including the graphical representation. Whilst this will not replace an EPC and is not legally valid the site provides help and assistance to improve energy efficiency straight away.
You can fill in the Home Energy Check questionnaire on the Energy Saving Trust website.
See an example of an Energy Performance Certificate here 
For more information on EPCs and requirements, the slides from the training held on 10 June 2008 can be found here
External Information from Energy Efficiency Partnership for Homes, an independent voluntary network funded by government and facilitated by the Energy Saving Trust.
Landlord’s Energy Saving Allowance (LESA)
A Landlord’s Guide to Energy Performance Certificates
Update: Energy Performance Certification in Student Housing and Accommodation
Guidance on EPCs for rented dwellings has now been published and is available on the CLG website this article comments on this Guidance.
Page 16 of the Guidance says under "Determining the type of EPC required" states:
"Dwellings in multiple occupation: Where individual rooms in a building are rented out and there are shared facilities (eg kitchen and/or bathroom), an EPC is not required. This because an EPC is only required on the rental of a building or part of a building designed or altered to be used separately. Renting a room does not meet the ‘part of a building’ definition."
A number of case studies are then given and the important ones for student housing are:
"A house or flat is rented by a number of tenants who have exclusive use of their bedrooms but share a kitchen and bathroom. In this case each tenant has a contract with the landlord for the parts they have access to, but not for a whole dwelling. An EPC is therefore not required each time a tenant moves, although one will be required for the whole house if it is sold, rented as a whole or constructed."
This says that EPCs are not required at all for those renting rooms within a building (such as a cluster flat or house) when they are let individually.
The second says:
"A group of friends rent a property and there is a single contract between the landlord and the group as the contract is for the rental of a whole dwelling."
This would mean that a flat or house let on a joint agreement would require an EPC for the whole house/flat which the tenants should be given a copy of.
Conclusion
Based on this guidance it can be concluded that:
- Occupants of rooms in buildings let on individual agreements where there are shared common parts do not require an EPC
- Occupants of buildings let on joint agreements for a whole house or flat do need an EPC