EPCs and self-contained units

A landlord has a property were he lets out rooms. Does he have to provide Energy Performance Certificates (EPC) for these? In the Letting Centre’s Factsheet 38 on EPC’s it states ‘…certificate detailing its energy performance compared with reference values must be made available for each self-contained accommodation unit …’

The guidance on EPCs in the private rented sector provided by the Communities and Local Government states as follows: -

‘ An EPC is only required for a dwelling that is self-contained, meaning that it does not share essential facilities such as a bathroom/shower room, toilet or kitchen with any other dwelling and that it has its own entrance either from outside or through common parts, that is not through another unit.’

Most purpose built units will require individual EPCs but rooms in shared houses, for example will not.

Can the Government ever keep it simple and one ruling instead of multiples so landlords know exactly where we stand?

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