EPC (Scotland)

googler

Johnandabby wrote: »

Er, I think you need to read who writes what more carefully before you accuse me of encouraging false claims... you can tell that there are two different posters because they have different letters and are pronounced differently...

Sorry, misread the poster and quoter names in this exchange.

Humblest apologetics.

Johnandabby

googler wrote: »

Sorry, misread the poster and quoter names in this exchange.

Humblest apologetics.

All is forgiven

tim123456789

googler wrote: »

Tell whom? The surveyor?

yes

googler wrote: »

You think he/she won't look in the loft, to see the insulation for him/herself?

anicdotal evidence suggests not, they certainly don't take up boards to check underneath if it's boarded YMMV.

googler wrote: »

Do you REALLY think there's any value in claiming to have cavity wall insulation, only to be caught in a lies later on, when the buyer's solicitor asks for proof of its installation, or guarantees on a claimed recent installation?

If you want to rent the property then yes.

No-one will link the fact that the assessor "assumed" insulation back to anything that you told him.

No-one will look for "proof" that the EPC is correct. If a buyer specifically wants to know about insulation they will ask separately (and, of course, you answer honestly)

googler wrote: »

CWI usually leaves drill/fill holes in the outer wall. Do you think the surveyor will miss the fact that you claim to have CWI, but no apparent fill holes?

I wasn't talking about aftermaker installations. I'm talking about houses from an era where it might, or it might not have installation installed when built

tim

tim123456789

Johnandabby wrote: »

Evidence has to be collected by the assessor of all insulation, .

And how are they supposed to do that?

Tear the plasterbaord off, take up boarding in lofts?

ATM the difference here is unimportant, but when the rules change to forbit renting out of properties in particular bands it will become very important.

Why should somebody who has a property built in a particular style that nowadays will have insulation installed from new (but might not have for the period it was built) (and I'm specifically thinking of loft rooms/flat roofs in this instance) have to go to this bother just to prove that they can rent it?

vectistim

tim123456789 wrote: »

Why should somebody who has a property built in a particular style that nowadays will have insulation installed from new (but might not have for the period it was built) (and I'm specifically thinking of loft rooms/flat roofs in this instance) have to go to this bother just to prove that they can rent it?

They won't, in lieu of visible or written evidence the EPC calculation will default to assumed values based on age. So if you have a brand new dwelling with the loft hatch nailed shut the software will assume lots of insulation, if you have a Victorian dwelling with the loft hatch nailed shut the software will assume no insulation.

googler

tim123456789 wrote: »

ATM the difference here is unimportant, but when the rules change to forbit renting out of properties in particular bands it will become very important.

Why should somebody who has a property built in a particular style that nowadays will have insulation installed from new (but might not have for the period it was built) (and I'm specifically thinking of loft rooms/flat roofs in this instance) have to go to this bother just to prove that they can rent it?

Why are you concerned with renting, when the OP is looking to sell?

Johnandabby

tim123456789 wrote: »

And how are they supposed to do that?

Tear the plasterbaord off, take up boarding in lofts?

ATM the difference here is unimportant, but when the rules change to forbit renting out of properties in particular bands it will become very important.

Why should somebody who has a property built in a particular style that nowadays will have insulation installed from new (but might not have for the period it was built) (and I'm specifically thinking of loft rooms/flat roofs in this instance) have to go to this bother just to prove that they can rent it?

If insulation has been retrofitted by a company there will normally be an invoice or certificate confirming what's been installed. This is evidence.

If loft boards are installed then the houseowner should lift one for the assessor to measure the insulation and take a photo. This is evidence.

I really can't see what the problem is. If you can't prove it's there, you can't include it within the calculation. For loft rooms and flat roofs the insulation is defined in line with building standards at the time of construction.

Why should people have to rent inefficient and poorly insulated houses when there are usually fairly cheap ways to improve them? I don't think many people will feel sorry for the poor landlords.

Johnandabby

tim123456789 wrote: »

No-one will look for "proof" that the EPC is correct. If a buyer specifically wants to know about insulation they will ask separately (and, of course, you answer honestly)

Although the accreditation bodies will ask for proof from the assessor that the EPC is correct. The assessor can't provide it, so the EPC is failed and you have to start again. Or, more likely, the £30 that the assessor is paid isn't worth the hassle, and they just use the construction date defaults.

tim123456789

Johnandabby wrote: »

If insulation has been retrofitted by a company there will normally be an invoice or certificate confirming what's been installed. This is evidence.

If loft boards are installed then the houseowner should lift one for the assessor to measure the insulation and take a photo. This is evidence.

I really can't see what the problem is. If you can't prove it's there, you can't include it within the calculation. For loft rooms and flat roofs the insulation is defined in line with building standards at the time of construction.

Why should people have to rent inefficient and poorly insulated houses when there are usually fairly cheap ways to improve them? I don't think many people will feel sorry for the poor landlords.

and if it was done by the previous owner you wont have the receipt

and have you ever tried to remove a T&G floor board?

It is bloody difficult to do without messing up the board

And thr reason why it's a problem is because the implementation will differ from property to property. I don't have a problem with system where everybody has to prove that they have the "claimed" insulation. I have a problem where some will be believed and others not. After all, it is not unknown for new builders to "forget" the insulation.

tim

googler

Johnandabby wrote: »

If loft boards are installed then the houseowner should lift one for the assessor to measure the insulation and take a photo.

Why should people have to rent inefficient and poorly insulated houses ... I don't think many people will feel sorry for the poor landlords.

Once again, the owner is looking to sell a house in Scotland, and the EPC will be part of the Home Report, that must be prepared before the house goes to market.

The surveyor will not be lifting any floorboards or loft boards for this purpose. Any inspection of a loft will involve the surveyor putting up his ladder into the hatch, and conducting a 'head and shoulders' inspection of the area.