The conditions to apply for an energy certificate, an important document to sell a property, have changed since the 3rd of June last year. In this post, at inmobiliaria LAS ANCLAS, we want to unveil some of the most relevant modifications.
One of the novelties of this certification is to classify energy consumption in a ranking from best to worst from A to G, and it is determined that buildings that must pass a Technical Building Inspection (ITE) must also manage this file.
Another important change is the period of validity of the certification. This period was extended by 10 years before the new rules were introduced. However, if the dwelling has a minimum energy certification G, it expires after five years.
“So, from now on, let’s be careful about the timing of the sale! If we applied for a certificate five years ago, we have to reapply before we sell.“
Also, as a reminder, the ITE (Inspección Técnica de Edificaciones) is mandatory and condominiums can only be sold in buildings of a certain age. Specifically, while the timing may vary between municipalities, inspections must be carried out for the first time on a building that is more than three decades old.
Failure to have a correct certificate can suspend the sale and purchase of the house.
The Energy Efficiency Certificate is a compulsory document for the sale of flats throughout Spain since 2013. The notary will ask you for this document when signing the purchase contract, if you do not have it you run the risk of not being able to authorise the signing of the deed.
Therefore, having an energy certificate can not only help negotiate with buyers, but also avoid the possibility of losing a sale or even facing financial penalties, and significantly reduce the cost of basic electricity and gas supplies.
How to obtain an energy certificate?
To obtain the certificate, a service contract must be signed with a qualified technician. He or she must come to your home to measure your energy consumption and assess the state of your electrical installations. Based on this data, the experts will draw up a report that will include the results and a series of improvements that can be made to the home to improve the rating.
The report must be submitted to the corresponding body of the respective autonomous community in order to obtain the cédula de la vivienda, which is a certificate that must be delivered before a notary. This document is nothing more than a note, from A to G, indicating how efficient the house is, with an energy performance index attached. These two figures are the data that must be shown in the advertisement for the sale of houses.
How much does this document required to sell a house cost?
The price of an energy certificate varies depending on the technician chosen for the management, the size and location of the house. For example, for a flat in Ibiza, of about 74 square metres, you can pay between 80 and 150 euros. Note that to register for the certificate, you must also pay an administration fee, but this is usually included in the cost of hiring an expert.
