Simon Ainsworth, partner and head of residential property at Napthens solicitors, Lancashire, is reminding home owners that all properties sold from October 1 now require an EPC – a certificate providing buildings with ratings from A to G based on their energy efficiency levels.

However, Mr Ainsworth is warning that many homeowners – those who had agreed a sale before the October deadline, or are selling a property privately with no estate agent involvement – will still need an EPC (even if a Home Information Pack is not needed) and may be unaware of the requirement.

Now he can reveal that Trading Standards Officers will be actively policing the EPC requirement, and have made it clear that they will monitor the situation, and fine those who sell a property without a certificate in place.

Mr Ainsworth said: “There will be situations where a sale has been agreed on a property where the seller has assumed the regulations won’t apply to them because the sale was agreed before the implementation of the new rules..

“There will also be a number of people who are selling their property privately with no advertising at all, and they could be under the impression they don’t need to do anything.

“Both cases would be wrong, however, and I have personally been told by the Department for Communities and Local Government that Trading Standards are policing this, and will be checking Land Registry records of properties that have been sold against the register of EPCs. A fine of £200 may be levied against sellers who do not comply. The best approach is just to assume your property needs one, and seek professional advice.”