Frequently asked questions

Countrywide Energy Assessors is part of Countrywide Surveyors, which is part of Countrywide plc, the UK's largest property services business.

Countrywide Energy Assessors was created in 2008 to help service the growing number of residential and commercial energy assessment needs.

Following the implementation of new government legislation requiring residential and commercial Energy Performance Certificates, Countrywide Energy Assessors has conducted more than 100,000 EPCs throughout the UK ranging from apartments and houses to shopping centres, supermarkets and offices blocks across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Countrywide Energy Assessors operates a network of more nearly 400 Chartered Surveyors who are qualified to carry out Energy Performance Certificates across homes in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Our energy assessors undertake rigorous accreditation programmes to ensure they are fully qualified to undertake EPCs.

Commercial Energy Assessors must be qualified and accredited for the particular type and style of commercial building being inspected and reported on. The accreditation requirement is reflective of the complexity of the property design and service components with a level 3 building being the simplest, a level 4 more complex and a level 5 the most complex.

Countrywide Energy Assessors are fully qualified and accredited to provide Energy Performance Certificates for level 3 and level 4 commercial buildings, which includes buildings of mixed use, where a residential EPC may also be required.

The Certificate looks similar to the colour-coded energy labels now provided with domestic appliances, motor vehicles and other forms of public transport.

The Energy Performance Certificate Residential EPCs, Commercial EPCs is based on an assessment of the property to record how energy efficient the property is. The Certificate provides A-G ratings on colour-coded graphs similar to the labels now provided with domestic appliances such as refrigerators and washing machines.

The Certificate is a set standard so the energy efficiency of one building can easily be compared with another building of a similar type.

The Certificate shows two ratings; the energy-efficiency rating and the environmental impact rating. Each rating is based on the performance of the property itself and its services (such as heating and lighting), rather than the domestic appliances within it. The certificate also lists the potential rating of the building if all the cost-effective measures were installed.

The ratings will vary according to the age, location, size and condition of the building. The potential rating on the certificate will take these factors into account, and the suggested measures will be tailored so that they are realistic for the particular property.

To meet the requirements of the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD), the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is one key measure introduced to help improve the energy efficiency of buildings within the UK.

An Energy Performance Certificate provides a standard rating for the energy performance of a building so that the energy efficiency of one building can easily be compared with another building of a similar type. Recommendations and advice are included to encourage owners and tenants to make improvements to buildings to increase the energy efficiency of their property.

Energy Performance Certificates must now be made available on the construction, sale or rental of a commercial and residential property. Only very few property types are exempted from this requirement although for certain building uses, an energy assessment is not mandatory.

Other energy efficiency measures introduced by the European Directive include requiring larger public buildings to display certificates showing the energy efficiency of the building and requiring inspections for air conditioning systems.

Public Buildings - Certain public buildings will need to show a valid Display Energy Certificate (DECs) which details the actual energy usage of a building and helps occupiers and visitors to see whether public authorities are running their building to a high standard of energy efficiency.

Our customer services team at Countrywide Energy Assessors are able to provide advice and technical guidance on all aspects of energy assessment of buildings.

Regulations are now being phased in requiring the inspection and assessment of air conditioning systems for many commercial buildings. An increasing number of homes also have air conditioning systems which as part of a regular inspection cycle should be carefully maintained and managed in order that they do not consume too much energy. Recommendations and advice for improvements, replacements and alternative solutions are included in the inspection report.

Countrywide Energy Assessor will inform you of the requirements of the European Directive and how this is being applied to your particular location within the UK.

Additional energy advice will contribute towards encouraging building owners and tenants to improving the energy efficiency of their buildings.

Our site visits and personal advice can help customers make improvements to their energy efficiency, which can significantly reduce the running costs of properties.

With our wide ranging property knowledge, experience and market expertise, choosing to use a Countrywide Energy Assessor ensures you are engaging a specialist in residential and commercial energy rating.

If you not selling or letting property, but act as a resident occupier, landlord, or property manager responsible for ensuring cost effective and appropriate maintenance of a building, it is still best practice to obtain an EPC. An EPC will provide valuable information regarding the energy efficiency of a property and will help you take action to minimise running costs and maximise efficiency.