Learn when to prepare the certificate, how to verify it and how to use the recommended improvement measures.
An energy certificate describes performance and recommended improvements. Sellers should confirm early that a valid certificate exists and that its property data are correct.
Buyers should look beyond the rating: review heating, cooling, hot water, insulation, windows and proposed measures. Confirm which equipment remains and whether the certificate predates later works.
The certificate is not a structural survey and does not replace checks on damp, roof, plumbing, electrics or construction. Use the official SCE portal for certification information and qualified experts. Actual consumption still depends on use, occupancy, climate and tariffs.
Issue, verify and use the certificate
Find a qualified expert in the SCE directory, request an itemised quote, provide documents and arrange access. Expert fees are not a single fixed tariff; registration and VAT should be identified separately. Verify the number, unit, address, rating and expiry in the official certificate search.
The normal residential certificate lasts ten years; other building types or states can have different periods. Check the actual expiry and discuss significant subsequent works with the expert.
Covered buildings must show the rating from a valid certificate in advertising; “being issued” is not a substitute. Provide a copy or digital content before the CPCV and the original before the final contract. Exceptions require evidence for that building or transaction: old age, rural location or poor condition alone does not establish an exemption.
Fictional reading example: recommended new windows are proposed measures, not completed works. Record the recommendation, obtain quotes and ask a technician about impact and suitability. Modelled savings are not a guaranteed bill reduction.
Editorial review: 21 October 2026. Sources: SCE consumer guidance, validity and costs and official obligations/exceptions FAQ and DL 101-D/2020, articles 29–33. Prepare the certificate or evidenced exception before marketing.
Official sources and references
Links consulted and cited in the article. Always check the current version for your circumstances.
Editorial note
Prepared by FRANETIC using identified sources. General information only; legal, tax, banking, technical and planning matters require case-specific validation.
