The UK has been threatened with legal action by European Commission (EC) unless it starts complying with EU energy efficiency rules.

An Energy Performance Certificate should be provided whenever a house is bought or rented in Britain but that hasn’t been happening.

The certificate shows buyers and tenants what energy efficiency class a building is in and is meant to give an incentive to lower the building’s energy consumption.

In November the EC requested that the UK started making sure the certificates were provided, giving it two months to comply or face legal action at the European Court of Justice.

Earlier in September the Commission also sent a request to Britain demanding it turn a EU directive on energy efficiency in buildings into national law.

The UK isn’t alone. The Commission has sent similar requests to the Netherlands over both issues.

Andrew Warren, Director of the Association for the Conservation of Energy described the enforcement of the energy certificate rules by the Department for Communities and Local Government as “slipshod”.

Mr Warren is quoted by Building.co.uk as saying: “There are at least six million transactions which should have involved an energy performance certificate but have not done so.”

He added: “But the communities department seems oblivious to reason. Perhaps a prosecution from the European Commission, followed by a stiff fine, will wake them up from their torpor?”