Energy Efficiency Certificates

Certificado de Eficiencia Energetica

If we are currently advertising your Property for sale, then for your information:

The Spanish Government has passed an Energy Efficiency Law, Royal Decree 235/2013 Of The 5th April 2013.

The Royal Decree states that Certificado de Eficiencia Energetica (CEE) (Energy Performance Certificate EPC) will become a Legal requirement for properties in Tenerife and throughout Spain that are advertised for sale from the 1st June 2013.

All Sellers must by Law be able to present this Certificate to prospective purchasers and to the Notary.

The energy rating label must also be included in any advertising or marketing including on estate agents websites.

What is a Certificado de Eficiencia Energetica (CEE) ? (Energy Performance Certificates EPC)

The Certificado de Eficiencia Energetica (CEE) (Energy Performance Certificates EPC) is a certified report that explains how efficient a property is in terms of Energy Consumption and Efficiency in an effort to reduce unnecessary carbon emissions.

The certificate will assign an energy rating to your property on a scale from "A" (the most efficient) to "G" (the least efficient).

Is an energy efficient certificate a legal requirement?

The requirement will be mandatory on June the 1st.

The Royal Decree 235/2013 of 5th of April 2013 was approved requiring that the owner of a building, house, apartment or premises that is for sale or for lease must have this Certificate.

In addition, the energy efficiency label ("etiqueta") must by Law be included in any offer, promotion and advertising linked to the sale or rental of a property.

Real estate agents must display the energy label in their advertisements.

The new law will align Spain with other EU countries who have also implemented the EPC legislation.

How do I get an energy efficiency certificate?

According to the royal decree "energy efficiency certificates should be issued by qualified professional technicians who are authorised to undertake building projects and thermal installations for buildings. The property owner may choose the technician of their choice".

This means the certificates shall be prepared by Qualified Certified architects, technical architects, or engineers (Arquitecto Tecnico, Ingeniero or an Ingeniero Tecnico Colegiado).

How long is the Certificate Valid for?

Currently the energy certificate is valid for 10 years.

Will I be able to sell my home in Tenerife without a certificate after 1st June 2013?

No you will not.

You will be legally required to have a certificate before advertising your house for sale or selling your home.

This must be included in any marketing, promotion or advertising and also must be presented to the Notary upon completion of a sale.

A certificate must be available for inspection to any potential buyers and to the Notary.

Who pays for the energy certificate?

The owner of the property for sale.

How much is the energy certificate?

The price will depend on factors such as square meters.

What if I am selling my home and it shows a poor energy rating, such as E, F or G, am I legally required to make any improvements?

No, you are not required to make any home improvements whatsoever even if your property has a poor rating.

What happens if I do not obtain a Certificate?

All Sellers must by Law be able to present this Certificate to prospective purchasers and to the Notary on the day of sale completion for inclusion in the Escritura (Title Deeds).

The energy rating label must also be included in any advertising and marketing including on estate agents websites.

Agents can be heavily fined by the Government if they cannot provide a certificate for any property they are advertising.

Sellers who do not have this certificate can also be heavily fined by the Government.

Are there any exclusions?

If your property was constructed after 2007 you may already have an Energy Performance Certificate. To confirm this consult the architect responsible for your Property.

Also Exempt are properties that have a floor area of less than 50 square meters. This refers to stand alone buildings of less than 50m2 and detached properties such as garden sheds.

Other exemptions include:

Buildings that are purchased for major renovation or demolition

Buildings or parts of buildings that are used for less than four months a year

Properties whose energy consumption is less than 25% of what it would be for a whole year

Property where there is already a long term rental contract in place

The landlord or owner must make a signed declaration before a Notary if they consider their property to be exempt. This declaration must be included in the sale or rental contract as applicable.

How is the rating on my EPC in Tenerife calculated?

A Registered energy performance certificate issuer will use measurements and recordings from things such as your air conditioning, your hot water system, type of windows fitted, type of insulation, type of construction etc.

The readings taken will then be entered on line into one of the Governments approved software programmes which will generate the rating for your property calculating the energy efficiency.

The software programmes used are the same for all properties so a potential buyer will be able see the projected energy costs for each property viewed.

Your Energy Performance Certificate will then be registered by the Architect or Engineer with the Ministry of Industria (Industry) along with the Catastral reference for your property.

Whilst we endeavour to ensure that the information on buying and selling Tenerife is correct at the time of publishing this information is intended for guidance only