The BER assessor: what a BER cert costs and how to get one

What a BER assessor does

The assessor visits the home and measures what affects how much energy it uses:

• the size and shape of the building
• the walls, roof and floors, and what insulation is in them
• the windows and doors, and whether they are single, double or triple glazed
• the heating system, the boiler and its controls
• the hot water system
• the ventilation, and any heat recovery
• solar panels, a heat pump, or other renewable systems

They put the measurements into SEAI's software, which works out the rating. The assessor then publishes the certificate on SEAI's national register. It comes with an advisory report that lists what would improve the rating, from attic insulation to a heat pump.

The visit takes an hour or two for an ordinary house. The assessor does not test anything or open walls; where the insulation cannot be seen, the software assumes the standard for the year the home was built. That is why an older home with hidden upgrades can score lower than it deserves. Keep receipts for insulation work and show them to the assessor.

When you need one

The law says a BER is needed:

• before a home is advertised for sale or for rent, with the rating shown in the advert
• before a new home is lived in for the first time
• when a buyer or tenant asks for it

A BER lasts ten years. If the home was sold or let in the last ten years, there may be one already: search the address on SEAI's register. If the home has been upgraded since, a new assessment can raise the rating.

As a seller, book the assessor as soon as you decide to sell. The agent cannot advertise without the rating. Allow about a week from booking to certificate.

As a buyer, you do not usually pay for a BER. The seller's certificate is on the register, and the advisory report that goes with it tells you what the home needs. You may want your own assessment after you buy, if you plan a retrofit: SEAI's grants need a BER before and after the work.

On a self-build, the BER is one of the last steps before you move in, and the lender usually asks for it before the final drawdown.

What it costs

A BER assessment costs €225 to €400 for a typical home. The price depends on the size of the home and on where it is: a large detached house in a rural area costs more than a two-bed apartment in a city.

Some assessors charge less for an apartment, or where several homes in one estate are done together. A few add a travel charge. Ask for the whole price in writing.

The seller pays, as part of the cost of selling. There is no BER cost for a buyer unless you want your own assessment later.

The cost is small against what the rating can do. A home with a B3 or better can qualify for a green mortgage rate, which most lenders price below their standard rate. A better rating also helps the sale: buyers see it in the advert, and many lenders ask for it in the loan application. The table below gives the typical range from our costs config, not a quote.

How to choose

Use SEAI's register and nothing else. Search by county to see the assessors who cover your area. Every name on it has passed SEAI's training and is audited; a certificate from anyone else is not valid.

Then compare two or three on:

• the price, in writing, with any travel charge
• how soon they can visit
• how soon the certificate is published after the visit
• whether they will walk you through the advisory report

An assessor who also does energy upgrades may have an interest in what the report recommends. That is not wrong, but ask.

If the home has had work done, gather the paperwork before the visit: insulation receipts, window certificates, the boiler's details, the heat pump's model. The assessor can only count what they can see or prove, and the paperwork can move a rating by a band or more.

The BER and your mortgage

Most lenders in Ireland offer a green mortgage rate for a home with a BER of B3 or better. The discount is set by each lender and is usually a fraction of a percent below the standard fixed rate. Over a five-year fixed period that adds up; put your own numbers into the switching calculator to see the figure. Our green rates page shows every lender's green rate beside its standard rate, with the CCPC's comparison linked.

The lender takes the rating from the certificate on SEAI's register, so the certificate must be in date and for the right address.

If you are buying a home with a rating below B3, some lenders offer a green top-up or a retrofit loan to bring it up, and SEAI's grants pay part of the work. Get a BER before the work and another after; the second one is what unlocks the green rate at your next switch.