Energy efficiency certificate: mandatory if you want to sell your home

One of the things that we must take into account if we are thinking of selling our home is the energy efficiency certificate.

An essential and mandatory document if you want to sell your home, therefore, we must have it to be able to carry out the sale of the property without problems.

What is the energy efficiency certificate?

The energy efficiency certificate is an official document that is written by a certified technician. This certificate will include objective information about the energy characteristics of a specific property.

This document calculates the annual energy consumption needed to satisfy the energy demand that a building will have under normal occupancy and operating conditions. This energy demand will have to include the production of hot water, heating, lighting, cooling and ventilation.

The process of obtaining energy certification will conclude with the issuance of an energy efficiency certificate. As well as with the assignment of an energy efficiency label. The energy rating scale is made up of seven letters, which vary between the letters A (most energy efficient building) and G (least energy efficient building). This energy label will express the energy rating of a building through the granting of one of these letters.

The energy efficiency certificate is mandatory for the owners of any real estate that is part of an existing building (homes, offices or premises). And, of course, it is the subject of a sale or rental operation. Although there are certain exceptions.

How to request the energy efficiency certificate?

When we go to request the energy certificate, we will have to contact an authorized company in the sector to request a quote. It is advisable to have various offers and budgets to choose the most appropriate and economical option.

This company will send us an authorized technician to visit our home. As a previous step, this technician will take the cadastral registration data, with which he will be able to know the surface, age and geometry of our home. Likewise, you can also ask us, as owners, for some old invoices and information related to any renovation.

Once the inspection is completed, the authorized technician validates and signs the energy certificate, at which time the owner of the property may register it with the corresponding body.

This report will be valid for 10 years. However, if you carry out repairs during this period to improve the energy efficiency of your property, you will be able to renew it before this time.

How much can the energy efficiency certificate cost?

The price of this certificate is not regulated by any body. So each professional will be able to set their own prices. Among the factors that influence the final cost of the certificate, we have the location of the property, the type of home or the surface area. We can establish a range of prices.

But, to give us an idea, in most cases the price of this certificate may range between €50 and €300.

For many, these prices will seem high, but it is advisable to pay it, because, otherwise, they may impose a financial penalty for not having the energy efficiency certificate. According to the law, if we do not have the energy efficiency certificate at the time of selling or renting the home, this may result in a fine of between €300 and €6000.

Advantages of having a good energy rating

• Higher market value: the property will be different from other properties when sold or rented. For the occupants, it will provide a ‘green image’
• Lower costs: The savings that result from the property operating with less energy, and requiring less maintenance.
• Higher income: Being more sought after, these buildings have lower rental vacancy rates and higher sales.
• Lower taxes: reductions in the IBI for the most efficient houses, in the municipalities that decide so.
• Improves the comfort of inhabitants and users of buildings