So, the season of goodwill is almost upon us and ’tis the time to be jolly and giving and suchlike….

Also almost upon us is the date of implementation of the BER legislation for all existing dwellings and we thought that we should provide a brief outline of the BER system and associated legislation in advance of the 1 Jan 2009 deadline.

We are just that altruistic….

So, what is a BER, I hear you cry…

The S.E.I website has a very handy PDF here…

which should explain all you need to know but ,in a nutshell, A Building Energy Rating (BER) is similar to the energy labels we see on white goods.

It is an assessment of the energy efficiency of your home on a scale from A to G, A rated being the most efficient.

From 1st January 2009, it will be compulsory for all homes, offered for sale or rent, to have a BER certificate.

Lack of a BER certificate will delay the sale and rental of property so it is in the interest of everyone involved in the business to ensure that BER certificates are in place.

We expect that 1st January coming will see a huge rush to get such certification in place so would advise you to contact us now to book an assessment.

Moore Group have BER Assessors on staff ready to audit your building and provide the necessary certification.

Contact details here:

http://www.mooregroup.ie/contact/index.html

Ask for Andy or Ger. Our SEI registered assessors will advise you on any queries you may have regarding BER and how it applies to your property.

Alternatively, the S.E.I site has a useful Frequently Asked Questions page here.

That all seems pretty straightforward so far, doesn’t it? You ring us, we assess your property, you pay us, we give you a BER cert. Everyone is happy…..

Well, nearly. You see, for some reason best left to the imagination, there are no BER assessors who are certified to rate existing houses.

The very same existing houses that are the subject of the impending 1st January deadline cannot, in fact, be certified at this time.

However, by the time the New Year rolls around we are confident that the powers-that-be will have resolved this situation, after all, a 40 question, multiple-choice examination can’t take all that long to finalise now, can it?

This situation notwithstanding, Moore Group are now taking bookings for all required BER assessments.