Common questions and FAQs

A domestic Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rates a home from A to G and recommends ways to improve its energy efficiency. For an existing home, an accredited assessor visits to record features such as construction, insulation, glazing and heating. It is an energy assessment, not a structural survey.

In England and Wales, most homes need an EPC when they are sold or let, subject to the rules and exemptions that apply to the property. The rating helps prospective buyers and tenants compare energy performance. Check the government register first because a valid existing certificate may be reusable.

If there is no valid EPC, commission one before marketing the home for sale or rent. You may also need a new assessment if the existing certificate has expired or if a newer certificate is required for your circumstances. Share the address and planned marketing date so the right next step can be confirmed.

A domestic EPC is normally valid for ten years in England and Wales and can be reused during that period, unless a newer certificate replaces it. There is no automatic annual EPC inspection. Check the current certificate and its expiry date on the official energy certificate register.

Marketing without commissioning a required EPC can lead to enforcement and a financial penalty. It can also delay the information that buyers or tenants need. Exemptions are property-specific, so check the official guidance before assuming a home is exempt.

There is no single visit length. The assessor needs safe access to the rooms and relevant features, often including the heating system and loft where accessible. The size, layout and available evidence affect the appointment; we confirm the expected visit window when the property details are known.

Tell us the property address, type, bedroom count and access arrangements. We can check the scope, show the applicable price or quote route, arrange an accredited assessor and provide the registered EPC when the assessment is complete.

A commercial Energy Performance Certificate rates the energy performance of a non-domestic building or building unit, such as an office, shop or warehouse. A qualified non-domestic assessor considers the building fabric and services and produces a registered certificate with a recommendation report. It is different from a domestic EPC.

In England and Wales, a non-domestic EPC is generally required when a qualifying building is constructed, sold or let. It gives prospective occupiers and purchasers comparable energy information. Some buildings and transactions are exempt, so the building use and assessment boundary should be checked first.

Check for a valid certificate before putting a commercial property on the market or completing a qualifying transaction. If none exists, commission the assessment before marketing. For a new building, discuss the EPC alongside the completion and building-control process.

A commercial EPC is normally valid for ten years, unless a newer EPC replaces it. It is not an annual inspection. A fresh certificate may be needed when a qualifying sale or letting is planned and no valid certificate is available.

The sale or letting process may lack required energy information and the enforcement authority can issue a penalty for non-compliance. Building-specific exceptions and the responsible party depend on the circumstances. Check the official non-domestic EPC guidance before marketing.

The site time varies with floor area, building use, complexity, services, access and the quality of existing plans. A small straightforward unit and a mixed-use building need different scopes. Send drawings and plant information where available so we can discuss a realistic visit and delivery plan.

Provide the address, approximate floor area, use, plans and any previous EPC. We review the assessment boundary and complexity, confirm the applicable price or bespoke quote, arrange the appropriate assessor and deliver the lodged certificate and recommendations.

A landlord gas safety record documents the annual safety check of relevant gas appliances and flues supplied for tenants. A Gas Safe registered engineer carries out the check and records the results and any defects. The check and record do not replace regular appliance maintenance.

Landlords have duties to keep relevant gas installations safe and arrange checks for appliances and flues they provide to tenants. The record shows what was checked and gives tenants important safety information. It also helps identify defects that need prompt action.

Arrange the check before the existing twelve-month deadline, and ensure the required record is available before a new tenant moves in. Existing tenants must normally receive a copy within 28 days of the check. Tell us about access and every relevant appliance when booking.

A check is required every twelve months for relevant landlord-provided gas appliances and flues. There are rules that can preserve the original anniversary date when a check is completed in the final two months of the cycle. Keep the record and check the next due date rather than assuming a boiler service covers it.

An overdue check leaves the landlord out of compliance and can leave a safety risk unidentified. Enforcement can follow, and an unsafe appliance must not be used until the defect is addressed. Arrange a Gas Safe registered engineer as soon as possible and keep the resulting record.

The time depends on the number and type of appliances and flues, access and whether faults are found. There is no universal appointment length. List the boiler, hob, fire and other relevant appliances so the engineer can scope the visit.

Tell us the property address, appliance count and who can provide access. We can confirm the scope and price or quote route, arrange a suitably qualified Gas Safe registered engineer and provide the completed landlord gas safety record.

The Simplified Building Energy Model (SBEM) is a method for assessing the energy performance of many non-domestic buildings. It uses building geometry, fabric, lighting and building-services information. Depending on the project, the model can support building-regulations compliance and related non-domestic energy documentation.

A new or altered non-domestic building may need energy calculations to demonstrate compliance with the applicable building regulations. SBEM can compare the proposed and notional buildings and help identify specification gaps. The required method and outputs depend on the project, jurisdiction and regulatory route.

Start discussing the model while the design can still change, then update it when the design and as-built specification are known. Leaving the calculation until completion can expose missing evidence or performance shortfalls late in the project. Share the project stage and building-control requirements at the outset.

SBEM is project-based; it is not a certificate that renews every year or every ten years. A model may need design-stage, revised and as-built outputs as the project develops. A separate non-domestic EPC may be required at completion or for a later sale or letting.

Building control may be unable to confirm that the relevant energy-efficiency requirements have been met, which can delay sign-off and require design or construction changes. The consequences depend on the work and the regulations that apply. Establish the required calculations and evidence with the project team early.

There is no standard on-site survey for every SBEM commission. Modelling time depends on drawings, floor area, zoning, building services, design changes and the quality of specifications. We review the available information and agree deliverables and a timetable in a bespoke quote.

Send plans, building use, floor area, project stage and the current fabric and services specification. We can identify the appropriate modelling scope, explain missing inputs and prepare a tailored quote for design-stage or as-built SBEM calculations.

An Electrical Installation Condition Report (EICR) records the condition of fixed electrical installations, including wiring, sockets, lighting circuits and consumer units. A qualified person inspects and tests the installation and reports observations and any further work needed. Plug-in appliances are outside the normal EICR scope.

For relevant rented homes in England, landlords must keep the fixed installation safe and have it inspected and tested by a qualified person. The report gives tenants and landlords a documented result and identifies hazards or further investigation. Rules for other property types and UK nations differ.

Arrange the inspection before the next date stated on the existing report or before the five-year limit for relevant rented homes in England, whichever is sooner. A new landlord should obtain the current report and check its recommendations. For commercial premises, agree an interval suitable for the installation and its use.

For relevant rented homes in England, inspection and testing are required at least every five years, or sooner if the report specifies a shorter interval. An EICR has no universal five-year validity for every building. The next inspection date and applicable property rules control the timing.

A landlord may face local authority enforcement if the statutory inspection duty is missed. Where an EICR requires remedial work or further investigation, England’s rented-sector rules normally require action within 28 days or sooner if the report says so. An EICR is a condition report, not a simple pass certificate.

The time depends on property size, number of circuits and consumer units, accessibility and the condition of the installation. Testing may require a planned interruption of power. Share the property use and any previous report so we can explain the likely visit scope.

Tell us the address, property use, number of consumer units and available access. We can confirm a fixed price where the published band applies or prepare a bespoke quote, arrange qualified inspection and deliver the Electrical Installation Condition Report with clear next steps.

A Display Energy Certificate shows a public building’s operational energy performance from actual energy use, rather than the modelled rating used in a commercial EPC. It carries an A–G rating and is accompanied by an advisory report about potential improvements.

In England and Wales, a building occupied by a public authority, frequently visited by the public and with more than 250 m² of total useful floor area generally needs a DEC on public display and a valid advisory report. A private organisation can choose a voluntary DEC but does not have the same display duty.

Arrange an initial DEC when a building comes within the public-authority duty, and renew it before its validity ends. The assessor needs building-use information and energy bills or meter data. Check any existing DEC on the government register before requesting another.

For a building over 1,000 m², the DEC lasts twelve months and its advisory report lasts seven years. For a building over 250 m² and up to 1,000 m², both normally last ten years. The floor-area boundary matters, so confirm the total useful floor area.

The occupier may face an enforcement penalty if a valid DEC is not displayed where the public can see it or a valid advisory report is not held. The duty applies only to buildings that meet the legal conditions. Verify the building’s occupancy, area and public access before assuming it is exempt.

The timetable depends on usable energy data, metering arrangements, floor area, building use and site access. The first assessment normally includes a site visit. Shared meters or gaps in records may require further review, so we confirm the scope and timing after seeing the evidence.

Send the address, public-authority occupier, total useful floor area, previous DEC and available energy data. We can assess the likely scope, arrange an accredited DEC assessor and provide a bespoke quote for the certificate and advisory report.