Energy Performance Certificates: opt-out of public disclosure
Why data relating to EPCs will be made available and how individuals can opt out of having their data disclosed publicly.
Applies to England and Wales
Notice of government’s intention to publish more data related to Energy Performance Certificates. You may choose whether to opt out of having this data disclosed publicly.
What are we doing?
As part of the government’s move to make more data publicly available, the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) has enabled greater access to data from Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) for domestic and non-domestic buildings and from Display Energy Certificates (DECs) for public authority buildings in England and Wales.
This information is available on an individual basis meaning that EPCs and DECs can be viewed online at an individual property address level. The data is also available in bulk form.
In 2017, the government decided to widen access to the data on a bulk access basis to anyone who wanted to access it, subject to the terms of a copyright notice. This was in addition to the existing access to individual property details via the Energy Performance of Buildings Register.
The decision regarding which data items are free to access reflects considerations made as part of the privacy impact assessment.
We have also issued a formal privacy notice.
We recognise that some holders of EPCs may have concerns about information relating to their building being made public. Therefore, EPC holders may opt-out the data of the building they own or occupy.
Why are we doing this?
The value of information about the energy performance of buildings to researchers, local authorities and environmental organisations to improve energy efficiency and in delivering national climate change objectives is significant. We believe it is in the public interest to make this information more readily available for these purposes.
How do I opt out?
Holders of EPCs may opt out by contacting our helpdesk:
Email: dluhc.digital-services@levellingup.gov.uk
Phone: 020 3829 0748
It is possible to opt-out an EPC at any time. When a request is made, your EPC will be removed from the registers within 2 weeks. Your EPC will also be opted-out from future bulk data releases, which are expected to be published 2 to 4 times each year.
Opt-out is available to holders of EPCs but not to holders of DECs as these relate to public buildings.
Where is this data published?
The information is released on Open data communities which hosts data on a variety of communities and local government themes.
How can this data be used?
A copyright notice will accompany the data advising that use of the data is subject to conditions. The copyright notice includes the prohibition of re-use of the addresses for other purposes because the address data contains the intellectual property rights of Royal Mail Group Ltd.
If you have any further questions, please contact our EPC Enquiries team at the following e-mail address: epc.enquiry@levellingup.gov.uk.
Last updated 8 July 2019 + show all updates
-
Added revised privacy notice.
-
First published.