Who is responsible for obtaining an EPC?
For buildings that are to be sold, the building’s owner is responsible; for buildings that are to be rented out, it is the prospective landlord (both are referred to in the Regulations as the ‘relevant person’). This certificate should be shown, on request, to any prospective purchaser or tenant, and should in any case be provided by the owner to the ultimate purchaser before a contract for sale is made or tenancy arrangement has been agreed.
An EPC is produced by a trained and registered energy assessor and must be provided by the landlord or seller of a building to a prospective purchaser or tenant. The seller or landlord is responsible for ensuring there is an EPC for the building, or part of the building, being sold or let, even if an agent or another service organisation is acting on their behalf or providing an EPC. The seller or landlord should therefore ensure any agents acting on their behalf are complying with the Regulations. This must be 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 buyer or tenant. Q: Can I ask the prospective purchaser or tenant to contribute towards or pay for an EPC? A: The legislation says the vendor or landlord must provide the EPC free of charge to a prospective purchaser or tenant.Q: What is the difference between a Display Energy Certificate (DEC) and an EPC
