Energy Performance Certificate - new one needed?

Its on here, if it isn't it probably wasn't done properly.

The EPC is dated, you might need to explain to prospective purchasers why it is so old, otherwise they will think that the property has been on the market for some time and not sold for some reason.

Well it may well be on there but retrieving it requires a 24-digit Report Reference Number which I haven't got. As I said, I paid for the assessment but then handed the certificate to the letting agency. Hindsight, of course, says that I should have photocopied it before handing it over :/

However, at least your reply would suggest that the existing certificate is still current, so as long as the agency haven't lost it and can give it back to me, then at least I won't need to have it done again, so thanks for that.

The EPC is valid for ten years.

Click the search by address button.

Look at the menu down the lift. There's a link that says "retrieve using postcode". Click that. Enter postcode. Pick address. Job jobbed.

Thanks Adrian. One of those 'Doh!' moments when I say to myself, "Why didn't I think of that?" Cheers mate :D

The buyer either wants to buy it or not. Most would have no interest in an EPC.

Having just retrieved the EPC by following Adrian's advice, I can see that it was done on 25/10/2010 but we can prove that the house hasn't been empty for four years :D

Dave Preston laid this down on his screen :

Are there any other things that have to be present for the prospective buyer other than the EPC, such as an electrical test certificate for instance? The house was completely refurbished (rewired, replumbed, new gas central heating (no CH at all before) with combi-boiler, double glazed etc) about seven years ago before we started letting it out via the agency.

We have no experience at all of selling a house but thought we'd just try a classified ad in our local paper first and only use an estate agent if there's no interest from that. We bought our own house 30 years ago after seeing a classified ad in the paper so thought it's got to be worth a punt at doing it that way.

Dave Preston posted

The purchasers (or rather their solicitor) will ask to see all sorts of documents once the sale has been agreed and you begin the merry ritual dance towards contracts. But you don't need to worry about that until they have made an offer and you have accepted it.

There's all the web-based house sellers as well, of course.

Oh they do. They use it to bargain prices down.

Big Les Wade explained :

But what sort of documents though? This is why I asked the question, so that I can get them ready

and you begin the merry ritual dance

Yeah, thanks for that. I think that'll be our next line of attack if the newspaper ad doesn't do the job. Cheers :D

In message , Dave Preston writes

Their solicitor will ask for a *gas safety* check certificate which you should have from your letting agency. (annual) They will ask if you have building reg. certificates for any building work and if any double glazing was installed by certified installers etc.......

Tim Lamb wrote on 29/09/2014 :

Ah right, thanks Tim.

Dave Preston posted

If you use a solicitor, he will collect most of them. For example evidence of title (i.e. the Land Registry certificate) and copies of, or at least references too, any building control certificates and planning approvals.

You may also be asked for copies of guarantees or service records for any relevant bits of the house, for example central heating, double glazing, timber or damp remediation.

Sometimes they ask for totally stupid things. It's hard to predict.

You'll want to dig out any Part P electrical certificates, and any planning permission, buildings regs and FENSA certificates. But, apart from those, no.

No, they won't. Not needed for a sale, although it is for a rental.

The one thing you ABSOLUTELY must do is get it on RightMove. Zoopla etc are definite second-best. RM is where 99.9% of potential buyers look.

You can't, as Joe Public, do that. You have to go through an agent - whether it's High St or online or whatever.

I'd lean towards High St. Not only will they have a list of likely buyers lined up already, they're also likely to get you more than your fees in increased sale price. I've dealt with a couple of the onlines (as a potential buyer), and they expect the seller to do a lot of the legwork. If you've got the time and inclination, great. If you'd rather not bother with the idiots that form a large slice of Joe Public, it's money well spent.