New Holiday Let EPC Legislation

The Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) has announced that all holiday let properties will require an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) as from 30th June 2011.

The new legislation will affect permanent buildings that do not constitute the main residence of a household or individual; properties which are not occupied all year round and are occupied as a result of short-term letting arrangements typically not exceeding four weeks.

The EPC was introduced in 2008 and is currently a legal requirement for residential and commercial dwellings being bought, sold or rented. An EPC provides information about the energy efficiency and environmental impact of the property and recommendations on how to improve the efficiency and steps to reduce carbon dioxide emissions.

The format of a holiday let EPC will be the same as current Domestic EPC, with a scale of A-G showing its energy rating and potential energy rating and likewise they need to be undertaken by a qualified Level 3 Diploma Domestic Energy Assessor (DEA).

The option to extend EPCs to short term holiday lets was seen as a measure to significantly reduce carbon emissions.

According to the CLG, there are currently between 55,000–70,000 properties let out on a short-term basis in England every year, and by obtaining an EPC for properties in this sector, will provide information about its energy performance and cost-effective measures that could be taken to improve energy performance and carbon emissions. It will also help to reduce utility bills if the recommendations are taken up and this is ultimately beneficial to the owner.