There are three types of BER:

 

1. Residential BER – dwelling houses
2. Commercial BER – shop, factory, etc.
3. Provisional BER – used for selling houses off plans and planning permissions. Provisional BER are calculated using proposed plans. In certain circumstances a provisional BER may be used for derelict or non completed buildings. For further details contact us or SEAI.

A BER Certificate last for 10 years providing there are no material changes to the property that could affect the energy efficiency. If you have upgrade works done to a property within this period you can get the property resurveyed and get a New BER Certificate issued reflecting an improvements in the energy efficiency.

1. If you are selling a property or renting a property it is a legal requirement to have a BER for that property.
2. If you are seeking a Building Energy Homes Grant you will be required to get a BER Certificate when the works are complete. The assessor will complete a section on your grant form which gives the SEAI information in quantitative terms of the improvements in energy efficiency as a result of the works.
3. An owner of a building must obtain a BER before a new Building is occupied.

Yes there are certain circumstances when properties are exempt. Example of this would be a listed building. For more information on this please ask our assessor or refer to the SEAI Website.

1. For a Commercial unit the method of assessment requires more measurements that for a Residential Unit.
2. The calculation software for to determine the rating for the commercial BER is far more extensive and time consuming that that required for the residential BER.

No, a property cannot fail a BER rating. The ratings are set from an A to G scale, with A being the most efficient and G the least.

Age and size of property, type of heating system installed, Type of wall build, insulation levels in walls, ceilings and attic, roof type, extent of type of glazing.

Air tightness is not a requirement for the BER Certificate.

The only item the assessor will need from you on the day is an MPRN number for the property. This is a number on the top right hand side of an electricity bill for the property. All BER’s are registered with the SEAI using this number and the address that is linked in the ESB with this number. The assessor will need access to all rooms and the survey will typically take 45mins. Following this the assessor will complete on online drawings and calculations program and submit all details as required to the SEAI. The SEAI then publish a BER Certificate and Report which we will forward to you. We require payment on the day of the survey and the BER Cert and Report will be issued in the following days.

Please phone or email to get a price. All BER’s have to be registered with SEAI and there is a standard fee per MPRN submitted. Currently this is €22.50 for a Residential BER and €45 for a Commercial BER. When we issue a quote we will outline the fee that will be required for registration and include this in our price. We are VAT Registered therefore our quote will reflect 23% VAT. (Rates outlined are current of 04/02/2016)

No. An email copy of the BER Certificate and Report is sufficient.

You can contact your assessor with the MPRN number and they should be able to re issue a copy of the BER Cert and Report.

You can search on the internet for the BER Register and input your MPRN number and it will identify is there is a BER for this MPRN number.

Depending on the condition of the property initially the following may help the BER Rating. It is important to note some changes may only see an improvement in the kWh/m2/yr or KgCo2/m2/yr value but still remain in the same unit. Eg. Could be a C1 rating before and after the upgrades but the kWh/m2/yr or KgCo2/m2/yr values would change.
Increasing the levels of insulation in a property, eg. getting rooms drylined, walls pumped, increasing attic insulation. (evidence of these upgrades will be needed)
Replacing Windows and Doors.
Changing or installing a new heating system in the property. (Electric Storage Heatings give a property a low rating)
Changing all bulbs to energy efficient models.
If you are considering upgrades to your property we would advise you consult with a competent person or SEAI to ensure the changes you are considering would give you the required rating you are hoping to achieve.