Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) required from Oct 1st

jimc_2

travel_freak wrote: »

Hi,

Please can anyone clarify whether I need to get this by 1st October if my property is already led and is mid-tenancy?

I think it's only when you are marketing the property for rental (or sale) but just want to be sure I've correctly understood, otherwise I need to rush to get one done now.

You can download (for free!) the CLG explanation of the EPC requirement for rented properties here. According to their definition you need to have it available for anyone you are trying to let to, so no rush yet.

Dee140157

I have just read this post as I receved a letter from my LA (through whom I have just rented my property - they collect the rent) which seems to imply that I have to get one. I am given 2 options:
" I will arrange the EPC myself and forward it to ........"
or
" I want ........ to arrange the EPC and agree to deduction from my rental account for sum of £117.50 incl vat.

My tenants moved into the house in August on a 6 months ast and provided all goes well plan to live there for the next 10 - 20 years! Obviously that would be great but I do realise things can and do go wrong. But since they are already in situ and I may not need an EPC for a very long time, it seems unnecessary to pay for one until I have to remarket the house. So just to double check I am right in thinking I do not need to get and EPC until I have to market the house again. (Possibly not for a very long time.)

tbs624

Dee140157 wrote: »

.... So just to double check I am right in thinking I do not need to get and EPC until I have to market the house again. (Possibly not for a very long time.)...

Yes, only has to be for properties where a rental begins on or after 1 October 2008. If tenants are already in by that date there is no requirement for an EPC to be done until, and unless, you remarket after that date when those tenants go.

EPCs are a total waste of time and money anyway IMO. The RdSAP software used to produce EPCs doesn’t allow for differences in the thermal values of different insulation types: it only uses a measurement of the thickness of the insulation. Insulating materials have differing characteristics - rigid foam materials are around twice as efficient as fibre-type insulation, but the software won’t distinguish between fibreglass, polystyrene, rigid polyurethane boards, loose-fill vermiculite, mineral wool, sheep’s wool etc.

On wall insulation the DEA has to tick one box from a choice of external, filled cavity, internal, as built or unknown, and there’s no measurement of the insulation itself. AFIAA, if a property has had the type of cavity wall insulation that used mineral fibre blown through holes drilled in the walls, it will apparently show up on the same value as a property that is actually built with foam board insulation in place (strange considering that many property owners had damp problems after having the some types of cavity wall work done.)

The Govt's compliance with an EU directive on building emissions has been dressed up as something that gives a tenant (or buyer) choice but the reality is that any potential tenant (or home buyer) with a modicum of intelligence can, when they view a property, check out insulations levels(loft/cavity walls), look at the windows to see if they are double glazed, ask how old the boiler is, check whether there are radiator thermostats, see if there are energy saving light bulbs in place (and make sure that use the same type themselves if they move in) - hell, they may even be able to see whether it's a terrace or a detached and can always ask if they're not sure....
And of course none of the EPC software can make an allowance for the OO’s/tenant’s individual lifestyle which may make a noticeable difference to any property's emissions.

The Govt obviously has to be seen to be doing something on energy emissions but seem to think that it is more palatable to enforce these issues by pretending they are helping home owner/tenants to make "choices" about their homes. If the Govt really wanted to help tenants keep their costs down it would be far more helpful if they enshrined it in law that *all* energy utility consumers had the absolute right to switch their supplier as and when necessary, instead of LLs & LAs seeking to control it.

Dee140157

Thank you for confirming this. The irony for me is that as we have just done the house up with a view to long term rental , it does have new thick loft insulation, new cavity wall insulation, brand new energy efficient combi boiler, radiator thermostats, double glazing (fairly new) and energy saving bulbs in all but one room! So in terms of an EPC it would tick all the boxes! By the time I may need an EPC these will no longer be new!

Oh and it never even occurred to me to object about any change of energy supplier for my tenants.Having said that I think we had gone with the least expensive one anyway! They can change but would be unlikey to get a cheaper supplier!

bargainhunter1980

hi,

i just put my house on the market for rent with an estate agent and they said i required an energy performance certificate (epc). they said it will cost £99 + vat if they do it but i thought i'd do some research before agreeing. there's loads of companies offering to do them for about £40 but the hidden charges are a joke! i eventually found a local company to my flat who did it for £50! and there was no vat or hidden charges. i recommend ou all search google for the best price and use a local company. the agents are just out there to make extra cash (not that they dont get enough from the high commission rates!!!) my property was in e14 so i searched epc in e14 and it came up with fasttrackepc.com.

my flat was a 2 bedroom so im not sure what the charges would be for a larger flat but to be honest i would'nt pay more than £50 no matter who it was!

good luck and hope you dont give in to the agents!!

timmyt

andyjjj wrote: »

Hello Martin and everyone!

I've just heard that from October 1st nope...it is already the case everyone selling or renting a property MUST have an EPC in place, even if their place was on the market before the HIPs came into effect.

So in a really hard market where we're already all losing money, we now have to stump up another £75-100 just for this... it's crazy.

Anyway, has anyone or Martin got any links to the cheapest place to get one of these EPC's from (as I have to legally get one now!)

I've found this site for £75 : http://www.oyezformslink.co.uk/energy_performance_certificate.asp?gclid=CK3Il9qqs5UCFQ1gQgodxgUDQQ

And this for £85:
http://www.energy-performance-certificate.org.uk/

most local law firms will know someone doing them for £45 all in

tbs624

timmyt wrote: »

most local law firms will know someone doing them for £45 all in

Timmyt- you are responding to an original post which is over two years old

Vendors are probably better sourcing their own EPCs, rather than using their solicitor or EA to find a local DEA. Far too much "back scratching" goes on IMO and the vendor may not get the best price for the best job.;)

tbs624

bargainhunter1980 wrote: »

hi,

i just put my house on the market for rent with an estate agent and they said i required an energy performance certificate (epc). they said it will cost £99 + vat if they do it but i thought i'd do some research before agreeing. there's loads of companies offering to do them for about £40 but the hidden charges are a joke! i eventually found a local company to my flat who did it for £50! and there was no vat or hidden charges. i recommend ou all search google for the best price and use a local company. the agents are just out there to make extra cash (not that they dont get enough from the high commission rates!!!) my property was in e14 so i searched xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

my flat was a 2 bedroom so im not sure what the charges would be for a larger flat but to be honest i would'nt pay more than £50 no matter who it was!

good luck and hope you dont give in to the agents!!

Newbie poster - two identical posts, containing a direct plug. Looks a bit like :spam:

timmyt

tbs624 wrote: »

Timmyt- you are responding to an original post which is over two years old

Vendors are probably better sourcing their own EPCs, rather than using their solicitor or EA to find a local DEA. Far too much "back scratching" goes on IMO and the vendor may not get the best price for the best job.;)

as a conveyancing solicitor I typically can get them cheaper than my cleints who sourceed it themselves....if only they'd asked me on top of their own research

but thats just my post of advice, each to their own

irisandalex

tbs624 wrote: »

Vendors are probably better sourcing their own EPCs, rather than using their solicitor or EA to find a local DEA. Far too much "back scratching" goes on IMO and the vendor may not get the best price for the best job.;)

That's good advice!

There are a few websites out there which can get you multiple quotes from local EPC providers without sending your contact details to all and sundry, trustedlocal.com is one. Use your estate agent to market your house and an EPC provider to produce your EPC!

(Disclaimer - I'm involved with this website so would recommend it, but alternatively look in the yellow pages and you'll be able to find local EPC providers yourself.)