Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) are commonly inaccurate and ignore times where homeowners have installed insulation into their properties, a Which? investigation found.
The majority of people (eight in 11) told Which? their EPC did not seem to be accurate, with incorrect descriptions of factors like windows, roofs and heating systems.
In one case, a couple in Aberdeenshire noticed that the EPC certificate failed to mention their solar PV or solar thermal panels, or of a wood-burning stove. The suspended floor was described as uninsulated, although they had discussed their underfloor insulation with the assessor during the survey and offered to open an inspection hatch so this could be checked.
Which? contacted the assessor, who admitted mistakes and offered to supply a new EPC, which changed the rating from D to B.
In another case, a homeowner never even received their EPC certificate.
Rocio Concha, Which? director of policy and advocacy, said: “With millions of families worried about high energy bills and the UK facing a big challenge to transition to low carbon heating, Energy Performance Certificates could be a helpful tool for consumers looking to save money and improve their home’s efficiency in the future.
“However, our research shows they are in desperate need of reform – with current certificates often inaccurate and only suggesting costly improvements with long pay back periods.
“The next government must make Energy Performance Certificates a more reliable and useful tool for householders. This should include reviewing the auditing and training requirements for domestic energy assessors and ensuring EPCs provide relevant information and clear, actionable advice for consumers.”
In a third case, a woman achieved a D rating for energy efficiency for her two-bedroom Victorian terraced house in London.
The EPC recommended several improvements, including internal or external wall insulation (typically costing £4,000 to £14,000 and saving £172 a year), suspended floor insulation (typically costing £800 to £1,200 and saving £70 a year,) solar water heating (typically costing £4,000 to £6,000 and saving £57 annually) and solar panels (typically costing £3,500 to £5,500 and saving £621 a year). Installing all these changes would cost £26,700, and would only see the EPC rating improve from D to C.
Reforms
Which? called for the next government to reform EPCs to make them a more reliable and useful tool for householders, giving them better information and advice.
EPCs should also be made more interactive, the consumer champion added, so that consumers can input information so that the advice is more relevant to their circumstances. They should also include up-to-date costings relevant to the type of property and provide links to any financial support and a database of installers belonging to government-certified schemes.
EPCs are based on assessments by domestic energy assessors, who can qualify through several different accreditation schemes that provide online and in person training.
Which? said the next government should review auditing of EPCs and the training requirements for this role to ensure that assessors have the skills needed to complete reliable assessments.
Timothy Douglas, head of policy and campaigns at estate agency group Propertymark, said: “Propertymark has long said that Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) could be better utilised through the introduction of a Property Passport to increase the uptake of energy efficiency improvements. This would enable information to be transferable across building owners and help maintain a long-term decarbonisation goal for the building.
“The process would not replace EPCs, but enhance them, creating an opportunity to capture EPC data digitally and add to it with other data over time. A Property Passport would also provide detailed guidance on the actions required, and already undertaken, to improve the property, based on building fabric and operational data helping building owners and occupiers make decisions to improve the energy efficiency of buildings.”
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