In Belfast, Northern Ireland, you need what is called an EPC or an energy performance certificate when you want to sell your flat or home.  This certificate is an indication of the energy efficiency of your property. The professionals that provide that are called Domestic Energy Assessors or DEAs. There are many EPC providers in Belfast.

What Is An Energy Performance Certificate?

The EPC certificate Is a certificate which will include the estimated energy costs and provide a summary of what items in your home are energy efficient. The EPC certificate will provide recommendations on how you can make your home more energy-efficient. This certificate will also include the cost of implementing changes to make your home more efficient.

Each home is rated on a scale between A and G. If you have an A rating and then you have a home that is quite energy-efficient. If you have an older home that is not energy efficient, you may be given a G rating. Newer homes tend to have ratings because they are built to high energy-efficient standards. Most older homes tend to have a D or an E rating. According to epc-nireland.com average rating for homes in Belfast tends to be around D.

Does My Property Need An EPC Certificate?

If you want to buy or sell a property, it needs to have an EPC certificate. You can use the EPC register to determine whether or not the property has the proper certificate. If it doesn’t, you need to ensure that it has one. You can also speak to your local realtor, and they can probably tell you whether or not the property you’re interested in has the proper certificate.

How to Improve Ratings

The EPC will indicate ways that you can improve your rating and will indicate the cost involved. This will help you save on your bills and reduce the environmental impact that your property has. Some recommendations may include:

• Insulating the walls, Loft, roof, and floor
• Double glazing your windows
• Using solar panels to produce Greener energy, which is also cheaper
• Using low-energy lighting

EPC Register Northern Ireland

Northern Ireland has an online government database called the EPC register. By using this database, you can search for the energy performance certificate of a particular property. You can look up your own certificate here or look at a certificate of a property that you wish to move into. You need to get an EPC certificate for your home before you can sell it. You can use your real estate agent to do this for you, but it can cost a lot of money. You can get it independently and search the EPC register to find an assessor and get your certificate that way.

How Long Does it Last?

Your certificate will be good for ten years. Your property may already have a valid certificate. They will cost you £60 to £120, although for most properties, they tend to be a little bit lower. You can shop around to find the best deal. It’s easier to go to a domestic energy assessor then through your real estate agent as these tend to be cheaper.

Savings

You’re EPC rating. You can save money on your home. You will have a home that is more energy-efficient, and your heating and lighting bills will be less.

Make sure you have an EPC certificate. You can speak to your local realtor in Belfast or check the EPC register to ensure that the property has an EPC.

Resources:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/domestic-private-rented-property-minimum-energy-efficiency-standard-landlord-guidance