| The Irish government in all its wisdom this year | | | | or low. This is shown on a simple energy usage |
| introduced legislation that can help everybody | | | | scale from G being the most expensive to A1 |
| buying or renting property save thousands of | | | | being the cheapest to run and the difference can |
| euro's a year. Unfortunately they forgot to tell | | | | be huge. |
| anybody! But it's true and it's here. | | | | It is estimated that an average 3 bed house |
| It comes in the form of a Building Energy Rating | | | | fitted with a wood pellet boiler, which would result |
| Certificate (BER cert.). This harmless piece of | | | | in a higher BER rating, could save EUR25,000 over |
| paper provides you with an insight into the running | | | | 30 years compared with a similar house fitted |
| costs of your property. The cert. is similar to | | | | with an oil fired boiler and this is only one element |
| those found on home electrical appliances, fridges | | | | of the potential saving available. e.g. you wouldn't |
| etc, it allows you (at a glance) to establish if your | | | | buy a car without knowing the mpg so why buy |
| property will have high or low running costs and | | | | a house without knowing its running costs! |
| the difference can be massive, thousands of euro | | | | So what if you find the house of your dreams |
| a year. | | | | and it has a bad rating? Don't worry. When the |
| Put that over the life time of your mortgage and | | | | government introduced this legislation they not |
| then we're taking serious money. If you are a | | | | only supplied you with an insight into running costs |
| house buyer then the the good news is the seller | | | | but they also gave you a great bargaining tool. |
| has to by law, provide this certificate to you on | | | | Simply use a low BER rating to negotiate a better |
| request. | | | | price and get those savings now. |
| Here's a further breakdown to help explain what it | | | | In the future, as the government pushes to |
| means; | | | | reduce Co2 levels and energy usage, it is |
| Since the start of this year it's been law that any | | | | expected that a properties BER rating will greatly |
| person selling or letting a property must provide a | | | | affect the resale value. |
| BER certificate. Basically this certificate informs | | | | So as a buyer demand to see the BER certificate |
| the purchaser whether the properties heating, | | | | and save yourself thousands of euros. It's the |
| lighting and hot water costs are going to be high | | | | law; it will cost you nothing, so ask for it! |