From 2008 all domestic rented properties will be required to have an EPC.

A qualified DEA (Domestic Energy Assessor)will be licensed to undertake EPC work and issue certificates.

DEAs must provide an objective opinion about the energy efficiency and environmental impact of the property, which the buyer and the seller must be able to rely on and use. Therefore do not give direct advice but the certificate you recieve will make some recommendations of how the home could be improved.

Most first-time buyers purchasing a home with a 'E, F or G' energy rating could benefit from grants to help improve the energy efficiency of their homes.

Subsidies of between £100 to £300 are typically available from energy suppliers to help fund the costs of insulation and other energy efficiency improvements. In addition some first-time buyers could be eligible for Government grants of up to as much as £2,700.