Anyone selling their house in NI without the required energy performance document may soon be facing a stiff fine.

It has just been revealed that householders marketing their home without an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) when government officials undertake visits next week will face fines of up to £1,000.

The Department of Finance and Personnel (DFP) will be carrying out a series of spot checks at properties being marketed for sale or rent in a bid to see if an EPC is in place.

EPCs, which rates energy efficient on a scale of A to G, became a legal requirement for all residential properties for sale or rent last year.

However, this announcement is the first clear sign from the DFP of enforcing the legislation and penalising those householders or landlords who don’t have an EPC.

Local estate agents have already received a letter from the department spelling out its intention to impose penalties on those who don’t comply with the requirements.

“We intend undertaking follow-up visiting during the coming weeks,” said the letter adding the department was of the view “sufficient time has elapsed since the introduction of the regulations”.