From April 2018, it is has been compulsory for any rented out property to have a minimum energy performance rating of E when the EPC is generated. If any tenant rents a property that does not have the minimum E rating, it will be illegal. A civil penalty of 4000 pounds will be levied for the breach. This is the provision in the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards or MEES. Therefore, before you can apply for EPC, you should improve the energy efficacy of your building so that you get at least an E on the very first evaluation.
Steps To Improve Your Property’s Energy Efficiency –
Low Budget Improvements – If you are having a low budget and yet, you want to improve, the first thing you need to do is replace all the lights and bulbs in your building with energy efficient lights. For example, the halogen bulbs should be replaced with LED and CFL bulbs. Then you should check the doors, windows, letterboxes, keyholes, and likewise to see if they are letting in draughts or not. This can be due to disrepair or poor fitting. You can buy draught excluders to let the property retain heat for longer but they may not be good for EPC’s point of view. The assessor evaluates the permanent things only and draught excluders are rather a temporary solution. Therefore, you should consider better fitting and better item replacements.
Medium Budget Improvements – You can maximize your chances of meeting MEES for your property, if you start to replace old an faulty power consuming appliances like fridge, freezer, washing machine, dishwasher and likewise. While buying a new one, always check the energy efficiency and ratings. Aim for A++ energy rating of those appliances when you buy. This move is going to improve the energy efficiency of your building massively.
Big Budget Improvement – If you can insulate the sold walls of your building, you can achieve one of the best ratings on your property’s EPC. It is relatively expensive and can also cause a minimal loss of living space. Harvesting renewable energy is another big move.
Apart from that, you should hire an energy consultant to understand the improvements you can do with your limited budget to get a good rating on your EPC so that you can rent it out conveniently and legally. EPCChoice provides professional service to evaluate your building and provide recommendations for improvements at an affordable rate.
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