Is your home energy efficient?

BER Certificate

Building Energy Rating (BER) CERT

From the 1st of January 2009, all homes being sold or rented must have a Building Energy Rating (BER) Certificate. This is required by law in order for the sale or lease to be completed. The sellers or landlords must provide a BER to tenants on all new and existing domestic dwellings, regardless of age when being offered for sale or rented. This means that if you have a tenant in the property before the 31 December 2008 the BER will not be required until the lease has expired. If you have made a new lease after the 1st January 2009 you will need a BER Certificate.

What is a BER Certificate?
The BER Certificate tells a prospective buyer or tenant how energy efficient a dwelling is. The rating ranges from G up to A1. A1 represents an extremely well insulated house which uses very little energy for lighting and heating. G represents a house which has little insulation and inefficient heating systems. Any existing house or apartment does not have to achieve any particular rating. The purpose of the BER Certificate is to notify the buyer or tenant of the rating.

How Long will a BER Remain Valid?
A BER is valid for a period of 10 years from the date of it being issued, unless however, there is a material change in the building which could affect its energy performance. This could be for example an extension to the building, a significant change to the building fabric or a change in the heating system or fuel used. Therefore, if a property which has received a BER is placed on the market within 10 years of that BER being issued, and the property has experienced no relevant alteration, then that same BER may be used by the building owner for the purposes of meeting their obligations under the Regulations.

How is the Property Assessed?
The Dwelling Energy Assessment Procedure (DEAP) is the official Procedure for calculating and assessing the energy performance of dwellings an assessor must visit each dwelling to perform the survey. The Survey involves measuring and assessing the details of each heat loss area such as walls, roofs, floors and windows. All space and hot water heating systems are assessed, along with ventilation, lighting and savings from renewables. This information is then used to calculate the energy rating of the dwelling. The survey takes 1-2 hours depending on the property size. The BER Certificate and the Advisory Report are usually available within 3-5 working days after the site assessment.

Benefits of a BER
* Highlights energy rating of the dwelling.
* Higher the rating - More attractive to prospective tenants and buyers
* Lower Heating & Electricity Bills
* Increase of rental and selling price
* If low ratings - Advice on improving energy efficiency of property.

How much will a BER cost?
We will provide quotes for all type of houses and apartments. The cost depends on the type, size and location of the dwelling. Discounts are available for batches of similar dwellings in the same area

How to arrange an Assessment of your Property?
If you would like to arrange an assessment on your property, please contact Lucille Markey at Anthony Byrne Lettings on 041 98 49930 who will arrange for a Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI) registered BER Assessor to contact you to arrange a suitable date & time to call to your property.