EPCs around Europe

How is the EPC being implemented throughout Europe?

The majority of member states have now implemented the Directive, making EPCs compulsory when buildings are sold or rented. However, there are discrepancies in the way the Directive is implemented as well as the composition of the EPC and the point at which it is required.

Many member states require an EPC to be ‘available’ at the point of sale, but not at point of marketing. The proposed re-cast of the Directive, currently under consultation, would, if adopted, make EPCs mandatory at point of marketing.

Austria

From 1st January 2009, an EPC has been mandatory when buildings are sold or rented, as well as for new buildings and major renovations. The EPC must be ‘made available to the owner or to the potential buyer or tenant by the owner’.

The certificate is valid for ten years, and the data is stored in a national repository, used for research into energy efficiency.

France

Since November 2006, for residential buildings the EPC must be available to the seller as soon as the house is on the market, and must be offered to each prospective buyer. Energy consumption may be measured using utility bills over a three year period.

Czech Republic

EPCs only mandatory at point of sale for new or newly renovated (after 1st January 2008) buildings. There is a mandatory central repository for EPCs. Energy certification has been commonplace on a voluntary basis since 2000.

Italy

EPCs became mandatory at point of sale for all properties sold or rented in July 2009. The content of the EPC is defined by municipal authorities.

Finland

Voluntary certification schemes predate the Directive and have achieved a good degree of take-up. Mandatory certification began in 2009, but remained optional for existing detached houses and blocks of six or less flats.

The re-cast of the Directive should bring about more consistency throughout member states; it should also help to bring pressure on the Conservatives to have a re-think about the HIP and the usefulness of the vehicle this provides in ensuring the delivery of the EPC as part of upfront legal packs.

Surely it must be to the benefit of both seller and buyer to have information on the energy efficiency of a property before important decisions about selling and purchasing are made. It provides a seller to undertake with or without grant aid energy improvements to a property to enhance the value of the property, and also presents a buyer with information to compare energy efficiency rating on properties under consideration.

To remove the EPC from the HIP and operate a system like the one in Northern Ireland as is proposed would clearly give rise to compliance issues as presently seen within the rental and commercial sectors. Keep the EPC within the HIP and add to the HIP additional legal documents to speed up the conveyancing process is the only viable option. Mr. Shapps kindly take note.

David

Thanks to Richard Gardner and his team at Quintus for the research on which this posting is based.