Energy Performance Certificates come to Spain

Thanks for the info from everyone.

Just spoken with my selling agent over this and it seems to do the job correctly and without any repercussions, or extra money / fines etc to pay, cropping up at any later date she did all the selling work to the letter, dotted the i's and crossed the t's, this i do know for sure she does because when i spoke with her back in October she did make a point of telling me this, she knows how to get around many things, but some things she wont do because of the rebound....I can go with this.

The Certificate was obtained because the notary wanted to see it, this seems to fit in somewhat with what someone else has mentioned in Spain in great detail last night when i spoke with them about this.....Again i can go with this.

I cannot disagree with my selling agent one bit over this when she has done everything by the book. I make plenty of mistakes in business, the buck stops with me, but when i pay others...in the know.... to do this work for me, i don't expect mistakes..or be conned...  i wont have that.

She saved me a whole packet of money on some other items, much more then this obtaining of certificate, so i know she wasn't in it for the con.

i am now more then convinced everything was done 100%, it seems to come down to some want this certificate and some don't, not much you can say on that really...Appreciate your help and advice. 

PS sorry everyone, for going off thread.

Hi guys, sorry to drag everything back to the original thread, but I have just come back from the Notary with an Architect I work with as we have been helping get some problems sorted out with somebody selling their house.

The house sale was proceeding quite normally and the Notary was satisfied that all the paperwork needed was in place, however the house sale has been delayed because when the Notary entered the information to the appropriate bodies, they were asked for the Energy Performance Certificate, which they did not have as they did not know it was needed. The sale is being held up until the EPC is in place which will only be a few days however even though it is still not law as far as anybody knows,, measures are being put into place in this "transition period" while the new law is being brought in. 

Hi cbrammeld.  Yes, we've had some grants recently - loft insulation and a few heating systems put in, but the tenants had to be on benefits to qualify for these.  And yes, the Green Deal looks like an offer to take out a loan, and I have zero interest in that.  What I meant about the EPCs, is that we had to have these done on all our properties as a matter of course, when they came up for rental, and this was a complete waste of money as far as we were concerned as they were used for nothing.  When we've had the couple of heating systems done recently the companies had to do new EPC before doing the work.

Also, how bizarre that a house sale is being held up because there's no EPC, when there is currently no requirement for one.  I would have thought only the purchaser or their solicitor could have held it up for this reason, and be in effect asking for an 'extra' at the last minute.  I don't understand why the Notary would insist on it.

Dear Chris in Spain

The only reason why the notary can asked at this moment for the EPC is if it is a new build / recently completed property . this has been law for a few years and yes...this does apply but only on property built since 2011 . It will not affect any properties built previous to this.

I find it a strange case , as normally the arquitect includes this in the building project at no extra cost. I advise the original arquitect provides a epc for the homeowner at no extra cost

 An EPC should be produced automaticaly by the software used for the building specs for the property by the architect. However I think they have a life span of only 1 year not the normal 10.

I have done several EPCs on day of sale/completion as one or both solicitors have forgotten. EPC still required when its a sale between family members, they may have even lived in the property for years. 

My local council comissions an EPC if there has been a change in name on a long term tenancy eg couple split but a new lease is required in sole name of remaining tenant.

As previously mentioned its a small fee that will stop a lot of stress in years to come.

A 'B' rating for an EPC is a huge selliny/renting point in the UK. Heating. Hot Water and Lighting costs are approx£30 per moth. More tenants are becoming aware of EPCs, just like tenant deposit schemes.

Dear Cbrameld.

Forgive me for correcting you .

Arquitects and surveyors use autocad for their projects , whilst epc are produced via Lider or Calener software which have nothing to do with eachother.

Also , new build epc are valid for 10 years

Sorry JohnCarter I have to correct you.

In the UK when applying for planning permision/building control a computer generated EPC is created using the full SAP methodology rather than RdSAP which is used for existing dwellings only. The data for the full SAP EPC comes from the building spec data which comes from autocad, whether the data is ported by human or data transfer between different programs does not matter. The building regs at the time will specify the insulation levels/energy efficiency required

I queried the normal life span as Local Authorities have not accepted them when over a year old. Perhaps over zelous or misinterpreted legislation, most local authorities seem to have their own rules. It is a lot less hassle commisioning a new EPC than argung with local authority

Dear Cbrammeld

Im afraid i have to correct you .

The data from Autocad is not compatible with the lider and Calener software ( the programs used in Spain for the official epcs ). The simple fact is that you cannot export the info from autocad to the other programs because they are in a different format.

You say in a  previous post that it is automatic...as i just mentioned this is impossible...AS THEY ARE NOT COMPATIBLE!!!!

I have a  2 year old vila and i also have the certificate( in front of me as i type this )...IT SAYS ITS VALID FOR 10 YEARS and its has offical stamp and is registered online for everbody to see in a goverment website

Regarding your query to local authorities , if they said that a 1 year old epc is not valid anymore , it must be because your misunderstood them....i suggest learning a little more spanish . You can also go to the goverments website...they have the full law online  .

You say..and i quote

"It is a lot less hassle commisioning a new EPC than argung with local authority" .....WHY WOULD ANYONE WANT TO PAY AGAIN FOR A VALID EPC?????

Doesent make a lot of sense to me

One of you is talking about Spain & the other the UK ?

THe law is the same for both countries..is a EU directive

 Not necessary for rentals under 4 month duration.

Dear Lady in Javea

Its not necessary for rentals under 4 months.....only when the power usage of the property is below 25% of anual consumption.

In the case of someone renting his villa for 2 months in the summer and using it himself for a few weeks a year, it is necessary as the total usage in those months accounts for 90% or more of  yearly power use.

As i have mentioned in a previous post , this information is available via the Spanish goverments website

Regardless,  the law is not aproved yet and nobody needs the epc at the momemt!!!!!!!!!

Did someone say it's a small fee? If 300 plus euros is considered to be a small fee for something that costs 5 times as much in Spain as in UK ,someone's got too much money!

 I have just spoken to my lawyer and he seems to think it wont be implemented so i shall follow his advice for the moment!

Georgia.

That good advice from your lawyer....just be carefull...if it is implemented you could be fined up to 600.000 Euros

Bear in mind if your home is advertised publically ( estate agent , internet , privately ) anybody can denounce it ( doesent have to be a inspector )

georgia-what reason does your lawyer give? This is a law that Spain hasn't complied with and will be fined for.Why should they not implement it now?

Good advice from JohnCarter, and please bear in mind that this is coming from way back not just the EU and not Spain. This is not something that somebody somewhere in a little office has thought up, this goes way back. think Kyoto Protocol. And if you need to know more read this

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyoto_Protocol

Hi Camposol,

cost is of course relative and there has always been millionaires on the forum.

many have swallowed their losses and still tried to persue the dream

some even claim to have done it successfully

looking on the "Costa del sol Action Group" site it is clear that many with smaller budgets have tried to keep the dream going by following the equity release path with much suffering

for a completely unnecessary piece of paper worth..... "Certificates not worth diddly squat"... the suggested fines seem unbelievably high, but from other threads if the country needs your money????? ...........I guess anything goes!!!!

for the sensible and practical diy person it rather feels that you will soon need a certificate to open your front door.

if the certificates can be given remotely by an architect or engineer perhaps one euro is enough????

Regards

Norman