An Energy Performance certificate also known as EPC is required in the sale or leasing of houses or apartment rentals; the energy performance certificate process was legalized in November 1980 and was fully enforced and became mandatory in January 1980. An energy performance certificate has to be available during any signature routine that deals with sales or leasing of any residential establishments such as apartments or houses in Flanders.
Sellers or landlords must rely on a recognized and acceptable expert in the preparation of a legal energy performance certificate for the property. Anything technique or procedure that crosses the energy performance certificate requirement is considered illegal and is subject to some serious consequences such as a fine. Some public establishments larger than 1000 square meters and are visited by the public are required to have an energy performance certificate publicly displayed. The epc informs buyers, tenants or the public based on an energetic score labeled by a prefix, the overall characteristic of the building. The graded characteristics of an energy performance certificate involve the following: the materials and insulation of walls and the roof; windows and doors, and installations for heating and hot water.
Energy performance certificate does include some energy-saving recommendations which are not mandatory but are beneficial in terms of providing valid information about all sorts of energy saving investments. The energy performance certificate data is not necessarily found on an electric bill. In order to obtain a valid energy performance certificate, an energy type A expert fully inspects the property according to the required standards. Data is inputted in a certification software that makes all calculations required; thereafter, the expert signs the document that is then sent to the final grading and legalized stages. Energy performance certificate typically may take half a day for completion. Energy performance certificates are taken seriously and it is one’s responsibility to ensure that the energy performance certificate is legit and accurate.
During the sale or rent transaction a legal energy performance certificate has to be present that has to be made by a qualified type A energy expert. A new energy performance certificate is valid for ten years. After a ten year term, the energy performance certificate is invalid and an updated document maybe required. Energy performance certificates overviews are available on the internet. It is recommended that energy performance certificates and overviews are understood thoroughly.
