Yes. A preliminary Impact Assessment was published on 13 December 2007 as part of the Public Consultation on EPC Validity and is available on the CLG website. A final Impact Assessment was produced alongside SI 2363, EPBD Amendment No. 2 Regulations 2008 and placed in the House of Commons Library on 9 September.
(2) at what point in the residential sale process an energy performance certificate must be provided.
There has been a requirement to provide a Home Information Pack containing an EPC from August 2007 for the sale of dwellings of four bedrooms and over, September 2007 for dwellings of three bedrooms and all remaining dwellings from December 2007.
An EPC is required for the sale of all homes from 1 October 2008. This includes properties that do not require a HIP, either because they are exempt, or because they were placed on the market before the requirement to have a HIP commenced for their category.
The EPC must be made available for any home, free of charge, to a prospective buyer from 1 October 2008, at the earliest opportunity and in any event where any of the following happens:
When the building is viewed (even if that means providing the EPC before any written information is provided)
If written information about the building is provided as a result of a request by a prospective purchaser
Before contracts are exchanged
It is not placing a property on the market that defines the point at which an EPC must be available, but any of the circumstances listed above.
Domestic energy assessors are overseen by accreditation schemes, who are responsible for the quality of EPCs and redress for consumers. All schemes must meet quality standards as a condition of approval: this includes ensuring the quality of assessors and EPCs. As an additional check, the Department has commissioned an independent audit of quality assurance procedures, and the first phase of this is currently being carried out.