Rented Accommodation and Social Housing

From October 2008 Energy Performance Certificates will be introduced for Homes on rent.

When buildings are to be rented out, the landlord is responsible for ensuring a valid certificate is made available to all prospective tenants.

The EPC and recommendation report must be made available free of charge by a landlord to a prospective tenant at the earliest opportunity and no later than:

• when any written information about the building is provided in response to a request for information received from the prospective tenant; or
• when a viewing is conducted; or
• if neither of those occur, before entering into a contract to sell or let.

An Energy Performance Certificate does not have to be made available if:

• the landlord believes that the prospective tenant is unlikely to have sufficient funds to purchase or rent the property or is not genuinely interested in renting that type of property; or
• the landlord is unlikely to be prepared to rent out the property to the prospective or tenant (although this does not authorize unlawful discrimination)

Homes will require an EPC on rent from 1 October 2008.

An EPC for rented property is valid for ten years.

The only person who is able to produce an Energy Performance Certificate is an accredited energy assessor.

Non-dwellings (Commercial)       New Buildings       Public Buildings