For a year now, home sellers have had an additional obligation. Remember this document
Do you want to sell or rent a house? Remember to have an energy certificate. This is a document based on which the buyer or tenant will determine the approximate energy demand, thanks to which he will know how much it costs to heat the house. You do not need to obtain a certificate if the house is not intended for sale or rent.
On April 28, 2023, an amendment to the Act on the energy performance of buildings entered into force. It imposed an obligation for some house owners to have energy certificates and defined rules for monitoring the implementation of this obligation.
Energy certificate – who has to obtain it?
An energy certificate, also known as an energy performance certificate, is a certificate prepared on the basis of the building's energy assessment, which determines the house's energy needs for heating and ventilation, water heating, air conditioning and lighting.
Based on the information contained in the certificate, the owner, tenant or user of the building can determine the approximate annual energy demand and, therefore, the maintenance cost related to energy consumption.
The amendment introduced the obligation to prepare certificates also for buildings constructed before 2009, both individual and multi-family buildings, as well as apartments that are the subject of sale or lease. Previous regulations required owners of houses built after 2009 to have certificates. In the case of new properties, the certificate is necessary upon receipt.
People who do not plan to sell or rent real estate do not need to obtain an energy certificate.
Penalty for not having an energy certificate
Without a valid energy certificate, sales or rental transactions cannot be carried out. The property owner who does not provide the energy certificate to the other party to the contract, may be fined up to PLN 5,000.
How much does an energy certificate for a building cost?
The cost of issuing an energy certificate depends on:
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location
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the size of the building and its purpose
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the degree of complexity of the shape
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availability of technical documentation.
It should not exceed PLN 1,000, and for small, regular-shaped houses it may amount to PLN 400-500. In larger cities, prices are higher, but at the same time there are more companies specializing in issuing certificates, which affects competitiveness.
The obligation to provide certificates is relatively new, so it is expected that in the coming years there will be more companies providing this service, which will translate into lower prices.
The Energy Performance Certificate is valid for 10 years, but if renovations are carried out during this time that affect energy consumption, you will need to “renew” the certificate.
