WIREDGOV

The Government announced this week  that we will be implementing Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) and Home Information Packs (HIPs) from 1 August instead of 1 June. The Government has also reached an agreement with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) on their judicial review of Energy Performance Certificates.

The Judge, considering the application for Judicial Review by RICS, had issued an Order preventing EPC’s from being included in HIPs from 1 June until a court had fully considered the RICs application.

We did not consider it to be acceptable or practical to delay the introduction of EPCs in this way.

We have always made clear greater transparency in the housing market and tackling climate change goes hand in hand. In addition, we have created a new energy assessor workforce - the majority of whom expect to start work in June.

We have therefore been in negotiation with RICS in order to avoid a lengthy delay as a result of the legal process. The Government can today announce an agreement has been reached. 

The Government will revise regulations and implement the following changes -

• HIPs and EPCs to start on August 1, implemented on a phased basis. From August 1 packs - including energy performance certificates - will be required for the sale of four bedroom properties and larger. These are the properties which are the most energy inefficient. We will phase in packs for smaller properties as sufficient energy assessors become ready to start work.
• Until the end of the year, we will allow people to market their properties as soon as they have commissioned a pack - rather than making them wait until they have received them.
• As a temporary measure, we will allow EPCs to be up to twelve months old when the property is put up for sale and will consult further on the long-term arrangements for the age of EPCs.
• We will also be inviting councils and registered social landlords to work with us to introduce EPCs on a voluntary basis in social housing, for example at the time of stock transfers. The Government will therefore lead the way in efforts to tackle climate change, whilst providing work for energy assessors in advance of the full implementation of HIPs and EPCs.

Towards the end of the year we will assess the implementation of HIPs and consider what further steps might be needed to maximise the reduction in carbon emissions and drive forward the reform of home buying and selling.

This assessment will be informed by the operation of the market from 1 August; by the results of the area trials; and by a further consultation on the next steps in implementing HIPs and EPCs, which we will begin in the summer.

Communities Secretary Ruth Kelly said:

“We are pleased we have reached an agreement with RICs and potentially avoided a lengthy court case and months of delays.

“The approach we have set-out preserves the principles of HIPs and EPCs, while ensuring a transition period for the people buying and selling their property. Most importantly, it provides an opportunity to make real progress towards cutting carbon emissions from our homes.”

Housing Minister Yvette Cooper said:

“Energy ratings for homes will help cut carbon emissions and family fuel bills. Given the serious threat from climate change, it would not have been acceptable for energy certificates to be subject to long legal delays and uncertainty.”

Today we are also publishing the latest figures on energy assessor numbers, we now have 2,500 in training, a further 3,200 who have passed their exams, and 1,500 who have been accredited or have applied for accreditation but only 520 of these have been fully accredited. For implementation on 1 June, we would need more than 2,000 to be accredited.

Whilst more than enough are in the system, the current uncertainty caused by this legal challenge and the campaign of misinformation by opponents have had an impact on the numbers of energy assessors who are waiting before paying out for accreditation. The phasing in of the programme will ensure that the numbers of assessors matches the need in the market place.

Notes to editors

1. A full copy of Ruth Kelly’s statement to the House is available here: www.communities.gov.uk/index.asp?id=1510801.

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