It has been on the cards for a while, but having an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) for holiday homes becomes a legal requirement in time for this summer season. If you rent out a property for four months or more in any 12 month period, this new Department for Communities and Local Government regulation will affect you.

And it’s worth taking seriously. It’s your responsibility to make sure you have the relevant paperwork in place when the regulation comes into force on June 30, 2011. If you don’t, you run the risk of incurring hefty fines of up to £200 per rental.

It may sound bad on the surface – another piece of paperwork for holiday home landlords to worry about, additional expense and yet more legislation to consider. But it’s not all negative. As well as being quick, easy and cheap to arrange, an EPC can help you promote your property and save money in the long-run.

What is an EPC?

Split into three sections, an EPC provides holiday homeowners with information on their property’s energy efficiency and carbon dioxide emissions. The first section shows the energy efficiency rating of your property – ranging from A (high) to G (low). The second section uses the same A (good) to G (bad) rating to show the environmental impact of a property in the form of CO2 emissions. The third – and most important to you – is the recommendation report.

Cutting costs

From fitting low energy light-bulbs or loft insulation to installing double glazing or replacing your boiler, the recommendation report offers various energy-saving solutions split into low and high cost categories. As well as doing your bit to reduce carbon emissions, you’ll save yourself some cash at the same time. Although you aren’t obliged to follow any of the recommendations, improving your property’s energy efficiency could dramatically reduce your energy bills – particularly handy at a time when energy is getting steadily more expensive!

Greater appeal

And that’s not all either. Environmental protection and carbon reduction has often been top of the agenda in the media and politics over the last few years, and people are becoming ever more aware of environmental issues. You can’t have failed to notice that the demand for green consumer options is everywhere, and the holiday market is no different. Improve your EPC ratings and you could add an extra incentive with which to promote your holiday cottage to rent to potential customers.

Get it done

Shop around. There are numerous companies that will come and carry out an assessment for you, keeping the prices competitive. EPC assessments can be carried out for as little as £25, and certificates currently remain valid for ten years under current regulations. Watch this space though, as the validity period is set to be lowered to between three and five years when the Energy Bill comes into play in August 2012.

Find out more at www.direct.gov.uk

Hannah James for the holidayletscompany

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It has been on the cards for a while, but having an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) for holiday homes becomes a legal requirement in time for this summer season. If you rent out a property for four months or more in any 12 month period, this new Department for Communities and Local Government regulation will affect you.

And it’s worth taking seriously. It’s your responsibility to make sure you have the relevant paperwork in place when the regulation comes into force on June 30, 2011. If you don’t, you run the risk of incurring hefty fines of up to £200 per rental.

It may sound bad on the surface – another piece of paperwork for holiday home landlords to worry about, additional expense and yet more legislation to consider. But it’s not all negative. As well as being quick, easy and cheap to arrange, an EPC can help you promote your property and save money in the long-run.

What is an EPC?

Split into three sections, an EPC provides holiday homeowners with information on their property’s energy efficiency and carbon dioxide emissions. The first section shows the energy efficiency rating of your property – ranging from A (high) to G (low). The second section uses the same A (good) to G (bad) rating to show the environmental impact of a property in the form of CO2 emissions. The third – and most important to you – is the recommendation report.

Cutting costs

From fitting low energy light-bulbs or loft insulation to installing double glazing or replacing your boiler, the recommendation report offers various energy-saving solutions split into low and high cost categories. As well as doing your bit to reduce carbon emissions, you’ll save yourself some cash at the same time. Although you aren’t obliged to follow any of the recommendations, improving your property’s energy efficiency could dramatically reduce your energy bills – particularly handy at a time when energy is getting steadily more expensive!

Greater appeal

And that’s not all either. Environmental protection and carbon reduction has often been top of the agenda in the media and politics over the last few years, and people are becoming ever more aware of environmental issues. You can’t have failed to notice that the demand for green consumer options is everywhere, and the holiday market is no different. Improve your EPC ratings and you could add an extra incentive with which to promote your holiday cottage to rent to potential customers.

Get it done

Shop around. There are numerous companies that will come and carry out an assessment for you, keeping the prices competitive. EPC assessments can be carried out for as little as £25, and certificates currently remain valid for ten years under current regulations. Watch this space though, as the validity period is set to be lowered to between three and five years when the Energy Bill comes into play in August 2012.

Find out more at www.direct.gov.uk

Hannah James for the holidayletscompany

Be Sociable, Share!

•