A big moneysaving tip when considering a
house is the information contained in an Energy Performance Certificate
provided for free (or a small surcharge) to the buyer by the seller in
the Home Information Pack (currently only 3 bedrooms and above). 



If you have a choice of five properties all with different price tags
the EPC can help you decide if that pricetag is worth it in terms of
how much the home will cost you in your gas/electric bills and how much
work might be involved in bringing the place up to scratch in terms of
energy efficiency and limiting the amount of carbon the home produces. 




The EPC breaks down the property and tells you how much you can expect
to save over a year if for example you filled your cavity walls with
insulation or if you swapped the clapped out old open flued coal fired
boiler with a new energy efficient condensing natural gas one. 



It lays out your options after a thorough inspection by a qualified
inspector and gives you an idea on whether its worth doing the
improvements.  Again, this information is in most cases free for the
buyer so ask for it and read it! 



Most of us look at the 'A-G' scale when considering which light bulbs to
buy or whether the new washer is worth it, why not a home?

Please note although the current EPC scores are available for all new build properties (in either the predicted energy assessment in the HIP or in a SAP assessor's report outside the HIP), detailed information about improving them will not be available until early next year when the new build EPC is rolled out.