The Flemish Government intends to tighten the criteria used for the awarding of energy efficient labels for domestic properties in our region. Speaking on VRT Radio 1’s morning news and current affairs programme ‘De ochtend’, the Flemish Environment Minister Zuhal Demir (nationalist) also said that the level of fines for those that award an incorrect EPC score to an energy inefficient home will be increase.
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Tighter checks and stiffer sanctions for energy experts that award erroneous EPCs
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Since 1 January anyone that buys a domestic property that has an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) score of E or F is obliged to carry out renovation work on the property so that within 5 years it will meet the criteria for an EPC score of D. By 2050 all homes in our region must have an EPC score of A.
This obligation to renovate is being felt on the real estate market. The price of houses with EPC scores of E and F is rising less quickly and these properties are taking longer to sell. Landlords that let properties with EPC scores of E or F are not allowed to put up the rent they charge their tenants to match inflation. Those that let out properties with an EPC score of D are only allowed to increase the rent each year by half the rate of inflation.
"Cowboys have to go"
An EPC can only be awarded after an inspection by an accredited energy expert. The EPC score that is award can have considerable financial implications. The Flemish Environment Minister says that some energy experts are too lax when assigning EPC scores.
"Last year we revoked the licenses of 140 energy experts. We believe that it is important to monitor the work done by the energy experts more strictly. People are entitled to a correct EPC score; the cowboys have to go."
Interpretation and Abuse
As EPCs are mainly awarded based on quotes, photographs and information such as the year of construction, the insulation material used and the heating system, and not on specific energy consumption data, a lot is left to the discretion of energy experts. This can lead to abuse of the system and energy inefficient property being awarded an EPC score that is too high.
The Flemish Energy and Climate Agency (VEKA) carries out annual checks on EPC scores. Among EPC scores awarded when the owner of the property has received a renovation grant, 9% of the EPC scores awarded are found to be incorrect. Half of the EPC scores that VEKA receives complaints about are found to be inaccurate. During the past year the number of complaints received by VEKA increased significantly. Ms Demir told VRT News that energy experts found to be acting fraudulently risk losing their license.
In addition to a temporary suspension or permanent withdrawal of an expert’s licence, VEKA can also impose fines. The minimum fine has now increased from 250 to 500 euros. Depending on the seriousness and frequency of their misdemeanor, an energy expert can be fined up to a maximum 5,000 euro.