If it’s for a commercial property:
Place extra emphasis on commercial BER experience, familiarity with larger or more complex buildings, and experience with NEAP assessments, where applicable.
Top 5 to prioritise:
SEAI registration • Qualifications • Experience • Accuracy • Independence
And before appointing anyone, verify their current SEAI registration rather than relying solely on their website or advertising.
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When BER certificates are needed
Properties for sale or rent
A BER certificate is compulsory for all homes available for rent or sale. This includes new buildings that have not been occupied. You should be able to view or get the BER rating, BER number and energy performance indicator:
- from the property advertisements
- from the selling or rental agent
If these BER details are not included within the advertisement of the property, you should contact the selling or letting agent or notify your local building control authority.
New buildings
If you are buying a new building off the plans, you will be provided with a provisional BER. A provisional BER is valid for 2 years and is based on the design and drawings of the home. Following the construction of the dwelling, you should be provided with a new-final BER certificate. The new-final BER is an assessment of the home, as constructed, and includes a survey of the completed building.
Exceptions
Some buildings and structures do not need a BER certificate when they are being offered for sale or rent. These include protected structures, national monuments and places of worship. You can see the exceptions outlined in Section 4 of S.I. 243.
Revoked BERs
If your BER does not appear on the National Register it may have been revoked. Your BER may be revoked following an audit under SEAI’s Quality Assurance process. If your BER is revoked your BER assessor should inform you of the revocation and the reasons for the revocation and request you to destroy the revoked BER certificate and Advisory Report. They should then give you a replacement BER Certificate. If your BER Assessor is unable to replace your BER, they should provide you with a refund.
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