A property sale on hold? The importance of the energy audit

The entry into force of the 2021 « Climate and Resilience » law, and the changes it provides for, affect owners, future buyers and tenants alike.

When a house or flat has poor energy performance, this can quickly complicate its letting or sale.

When a property sale ends up on hold, what should you do?
What role does the energy audit play in this context?

An essential tool, it can help unblock a sale, optimise the property’s value and thus reassure future buyers. And at RITMOAudit, it is with pleasure, but above all with professionalism, that we support you in understanding and carrying out your regulatory energy audit.

What is the energy audit and when does it become mandatory?

The regulatory energy audit is a comprehensive diagnostic that assesses a dwelling’s energy and environmental performance. The auditor will come to the site to analyse the weak points, areas for improvement and structural defects. This enables them to propose a detailed works plan to be implemented to improve the property’s energy performance.

Introduced by the 2021 « Climate and Resilience » law, which aims to raise awareness among as many people as possible about energy and ecological transition issues, the energy audit is one of its flagship measures!

Be careful not to confuse the energy audit with the energy performance certificate (EPC)! Whereas the EPC is limited to an energy rating (from A to G) and a few recommendations to improve that rating, the audit can propose several costed works and renovation scenarios, in order of priority.

Note that the energy audit is now mandatory for the sale of a house or single-ownership building with an EPC rated E, F or G. In 2034, dwellings rated D will also be affected by this obligation.

It is also possible to carry out an energy audit in a co-ownership, even though it has no longer been mandatory since 1 January 2017, in order to identify the strengths and weaknesses of the communal areas.

But it is above all a tool that gives you a clear picture of the renovations to be carried out and that will add value to your building in the medium and long term.

The cost of an energy audit: how best to plan the process?

There are several factors to consider when calculating the cost of a regulatory energy audit, in particular:

• The floor area of the dwelling,
• The geographical location of the property,
• The technical characteristics (insulation, type of heating, materials, etc.)

As for energy audits for co-ownerships, the number of lots and the complexity of the buildings must of course be taken into account.

The pricing of the energy audit varies according to the specifics of each project; don’t hesitate to get in touch with the RITMOAudit teams to obtain a quote.

As certified professionals, we do everything we can to respond to you as quickly as possible so that you can unblock the sale without delay.

The risks of a stalled sale without an energy audit

It can be tempting to want to sell your property without providing the audit. Sellers generally feel that the energy audit is more useful to future buyers than to the seller themselves, or that this diagnostic is a burden.

But the regulatory energy audit plays a genuine role in the sale of your property. Beyond its mandatory nature for dwellings rated E, F or G in mainland France, it is an added value to your property that should not be overlooked, because you thereby provide clear, costed and prioritised solutions.

Failing to provide an energy audit can have serious consequences, such as the cancellation of the transaction and the loss of buyers’ trust! The deed of sale would therefore be impossible to sign.

Don’t run the risk of finding yourself with your back against the wall; let our experts examine them.

How an energy audit can save a sale

By carrying out your energy audit as soon as your property goes on the market, you provide future buyers with renovation solutions, thereby enhancing your property’s value by showing the rating achievable after works.

You can then reassure them as to the transparency and compliance of the property sale, thereby avoiding any objections or disputes.

In the current climate, more and more buyers are mindful of energy savings and environmental issues. With a regulatory energy audit offering renovation scenarios, this is an additional argument to support your sale.

How an energy audit unfolds, and how to prepare well for it

Would you like to know how an energy audit is conducted?

After getting in touch with a certified auditor – and at RITMOAudit we have the best – we will offer you a quote and an appointment.

Our expert will begin by collecting all the data (energy bills, EPC, plans, technical documents, etc.), will come to inspect the dwelling (insulation, existing heating systems, airtightness, joinery) and will then draw up an assessment of the structural defects.

After analysing the data collected, the auditor will then be able to determine the renovation scenarios.

There are several possible scenarios; generally at least two are proposed:

• A scenario proposing costed renovation works in a single stage. The energy rating letter after works will also be stated.
• A step-by-step, costed scenario, showing how the energy rating letter changes after each stage.
• A scenario incorporating renovation quotes you already have.

It is important to point out that the more precise documents you can provide, the more detailed and useful the audit report can be for future buyers!

Call on the professionals at RITMOAudit to carry out an energy audit

At RITMODiag, we put all our expertise in property diagnostics and energy audits at the service of owners, agencies and co-ownership managing agents.

Our teams are able to act quickly and guarantee compliance with regulatory requirements. We do everything we can to provide you with a clear, accurate and usable report to unblock your sale.

Would you like to make an appointment with our teams? Contact us today.

Schedule your energy audit now and don’t let your property project be jeopardised!