As of the 1st October it will be compulsory for all residential properties to let and for sale to have an Energy Performance Certifcate (EPC) in place prior to marketing. The EPC needs to be available for all applicants/tenants to view and applied to all marketing material.

EPCs were first introduced as part of the HIP legislation in 2007. They provide information on the energy efficiency of a property and also give suggestions on how to improve efficiency.

The certificate is valid for ten years and is at the expense of the landlord themselves.  If a landord does not produce an EPC when asked, either by a tenant or local trading standards, they will face a fine.

Further queries can be made to The Communities and Local Government (CLG) on 0845 9652468