Poor Energy Performance To Be Advertised Up Front

Significant changes have been made to legal requirements to provide up-front information about the energy performance rating of buildings for sale or for rent. The changes have implications, in particular, for property agents and owners who are advertising buildings for sale or rent.

The pre-change position has been that an energy performance certificate (EPC) for a building should be made available to a prospective buyer or tenant, free of charge. However, exactly when that information should be made available has been, at best, vague. In some cases EPCs are therefore being provided only as a purchase or lease transaction progresses, sometimes only once the sale or lease has been completed, and, occasionally, not at all.