A Building Energy Ratings Certificate (BER) is currently available in less than 10 % of property sales across the EU, according to a survey carried out by the Confederation of European Estate Agents.

Details of the survey of 14 countries, which were released at a recent Conference in Dublin Castle, hosted by the Institute of Professional Auctioneers & Values (IPAV), show that the cost of procuring a BER  varies greatly throughout Europe ranging from  as little as €30 in Hungary to € 500 in Austria and Portugal. In Ireland the costs average from €100  to €300 depending on level of work required.

“The BER is available purely for information purposes and there is no legal requirement on either sellers or landlords to carry out structural alterations to the building on foot of a poor energy rating,” said IPAV Chief Executive Fintan McNamara.

Reluctance on the part of both sellers and landlords to produce a BER  can be explained by the expense involved coupled with the disadvantage of registering  low energy  performance ratings particularly  in older housing stock, said Mr McNamara.

Furthermore, Real Estate agents in countries surveyed, apart from Ireland and the UK, have little or no responsibility in the production of the BER certificate. Generally, the responsibility rests with the property owner.

The BER is valid for 10 years in all countries surveyed except the UK where, in the case of sales, the certificate is valid for only three years but in the case of rentals is valid for the normal 10 year period.

National monuments and protected historical buildings are exempt from the legal requirement to produce a BER in all countries surveyed.

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