Currently anyone selling or renting a property requires an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC), until now properties used as holiday lets have been exempt. However new Government guidelines due to come in force on 30th June 2011 state "that any holiday lets which are let out for more than 4 months a year will require an EPC when first rented out". Furthermore, all property advertisements will have to contain the EPC rating from July 2013.

An EPC is issued following an inspection of your property by a qualified Domestic Energy Assessor (DEA). The DEA will determine the energy efficiency of the property and rate it from A to G (with A being the most efficient). Currently surveys start from around £30 depending on the size of the property and the assessor used.

The good news is most EPCs last for 10 years, the bad news is failure to comply could result in a £200 per day penalty.

The Department of Communities and Local Government have produced a consultation paper you can view, (the relevant section is section 4).

As usual we would like to hear your views, so please e-mail us with your comments