Most people selling their home will be aware that they require an Energy Performance Certificate, which should be available to possible purchasers to evaluate the efficiency of the home. The regulations which are routed in Europe have also been extended to cover rental property, so a landlord renting out a property is required to provide an EPC.

The Certificates rate homes on a scale of A to G and are now considered by many as a purely money making exercise for the Stormont Executive, for there is no suggestion of prohibiting the use of houses which exhibit low standards or that tenants should not rent out property based on the EPC. In fact there is no evidence to date which suggests house sales or property rentals have not gone ahead based on the content of the Energy Performance Certificate. 

The responsibility for enforcing the new regulations in Northern Ireland lies with the Department of Finance and Personnel which indicated that there would be 'no grace period' and that action would be taken to enforce the regulations from day one, with offending agents prosecuted. However, it is clear that a period of grace, was allowed for and that the department now intends to conduct a series of spot checks at properties being marketed for sale or rent.

Offenders found to be selling or renting a property without an EPC face fines of up to £1,000 according to one source, although it is also widely reported that the penalty for not producing an EPC is £200 for each breach of the regulations. 

The Department of Personnel & Finance appear confused in who they are pursuing, their view in 2008 several months after the launch of the EPC was:

'Any new legislative requirement takes some time to achieve full compliance. The Department is working to encourage compliance by ensuring that property professionals (including estate agents and solicitors) are made aware of the requirements relating to EPCs'