Letting Agents and EPCs April 2012

As from 6th April 2012 all lettings agent will now need to be satisfied that an EPC has been commissioned prior to marketing a property for rental.  see The Energy Performance of Buildings (Certificates and Inspections) (England and Wales) (Amendment) Regulations 2011

No longer will an EPC chart in isolation be acceptable on for let details

Written particulars pertaining to the EPC will form part of the offer to Let ‘Written particulars’ include electronic communications (emails) must include at least two of the following:
  • a photograph of the building or any room in the building,
  • a floor plan of the building,
  • the size of the rooms in the building,
  • the measured area of the building, or,
  • in relation to a building being rented out, the proposed rent.
Any advertisement (whether print / electronic / email / window display) should include the the first page of the EPC.
The penalty for failing to adhere to the regulations remains the same. This is £200 for dwellings and will still be enforced by trading standard officers. So if you have 50 properties in your shop window failure to comply could be expensive.