What is the Energy certificate?
Contrary to some opinions in forums, the energy certificate has been mandatory for the sale of new and old buildings in Portugal since January 2009. This obligation already exists when natural persons or brokers want to advertise the property. Most of the time, this is not the case. In such cases, it is crucial that the relevant document is available when the preliminary contract and the actual purchase contract are concluded and that the information is also recorded in the contracts.
What is an energy certificate?
The energy pass is a document that rates the energy efficiency of real estate in Portugal on a scale from A + (very efficient) to F (inefficient). The pass is issued by an authorized specialist energy agency (ADENE). It also contains information on energy consumption properties such as air conditioning and hot water preparation. Measures to improve consumption are also listed. The document applies to residential and small commercial buildings for ten years.
What determines the energy class in Portugal?
Several aspects are involved in determining the energy class:
- Location of the property
- Year of construction
- Whether it is a house or an apartment
- The condition of the property (walls, roofs, floors, and glazing)
- Technical equipment such as air conditioners and heaters
It is, therefore, worthwhile to take a look at the energy certificate before buying to find out more information about the property. This becomes even clearer as important documents such as copies of the building plan, urban building permits, registrations, installation plans and technical specifications of the building materials for the energy pass have to be submitted.
What are the costs of an energy pass?
The actual registration and issuing fees for the certificate for a house vary from €28 (T0 and T1) to €65 (T6 or higher) plus VAT. The service price estimated by the technician comes on top. The price varies greatly depending on the technician, object type, and location. For apartments, depending on the size, the value is around €100 - €200. For houses, the cost is about €250 - €320 depending on the size.
In the event of non-compliance, natural persons will be fined between €250 and €3740. Companies can pay between €2500 and €44.890.
How long does it take to receive the energy pass?
As a rule, the energy certificate is issued within 2-3 days and must be available before buying property. Hiring an architect can take a little longer. You should plan four weeks here if you want to be given several offers. We are happy to provide you with information and contacts to certified architects!
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