Should you reconsider buying a property if it has a poor EPC rating?
The EPC rating should definitely play a part when deciding whether or not to buy a property.
If it’s pretty bad, but you love other aspects of the home, you could always apply a bit of elbow grease and make improvements (if you can afford them).
Improving the energy efficiency of your home is also a great way potentially to add value, so if you’re looking to invest, you could think of a poor EPC rating as a good thing.
If you’re reviewing old and new EPC certificates the format has changed so you might not see all the features called out in this article in an older version.
Remember – EPCs do not take into account the number of people living in the property at the time, and EPC assessors don’t go into great depth. This means that the EPC rating they come up with will usually be the worst-case scenario.
With this in mind, as long as the potential energy efficiency rating is good enough, and you’re able to make some improvements in time, there’s no reason you shouldn’t invest. Unless, of course, something better comes along!
Side-note: Don’t forget to hold on to the property’s EPC if you do opt to buy it! Each EPC is valid for a period of ten years from the date of issue.