Recently I had to waste my money on one of those energy efficiency certificates (EPC).

For my sins, a legal requirement was set for all landlords in October 2008. Since then, landlords are required by law to show all potential tenants (that is, before an official lease is formed) of energy efficiency. The idea is that the EPC gives potential tenants an indication of how energy efficient a home is, so that they can determine how expensive (or cheap) it is to heat a home in the winter. Know about the EPC Cost UK by London Property Inspections.

Great, another useless legislation that we have to look into our pockets. I say "useless" because, in my experience, tenants don't care how "energy efficient" a home is. Most of them don't even know there are EPCs, let alone show interest in the document when I casually shake it under their noses. Maybe it's just beer: we will eventually love it, even though the first taste is often compared to a barrel of urine.

Although the EPC seems a good idea in theory (I'll give you that), there is much to be said about the lack of practicality. It is really difficult to assign a tracking value to a property that receives an energy efficiency assessment. If you don't know, that's generally what the EPC does: assessing the property from A to G ("A" is best, as in school) in terms of energy efficiency.

The only saving grace, if you can call it that, is that they remain valid for 10 years and do not cost arm and leg. Don't get me wrong, it's money from the pit, but relatively speaking, that is, compared to all other meaningless and outrageous financial hoops that we've made to jump), it's not that much money.

How much are they?

Before I received my first EPC, I wasn't entirely sure how much I had to pay. I heard people mutter prices that range from £ 60 to £ 100. A local rental agent quoted me £ 80. You know that when a rental agent quotes you a price, you probably get the same bloody thing for at least 30% Elsewhere cheaper.

That said, I looked on the internet and the cheapest I found was £ 39.99. That is almost half the price that the agent quoted me. I called him.

The EPC Company is active in Essex (I am not affiliated with the company. And a fair warning, the website looks like nonsense), but I am sure they will have comparable prices throughout the country. I think £ 40 is a good deal.

From what I've found, most other companies charge between £ 65-85. Most reached the £ 70. So I think the general rules of consumerism apply: look around.

For more information about EPC Cost UK