EPC Question

Kazza_Monkey

Hi there, just wanted to see if anyone knows this. The house I am currently in the process of buying through an EA doesn't have an EPC certificate registered for it. Can a solicitor still organise exchange of contracts without it? And would my mortgage lender not allow the mortgage without it? I personally see the certificates as another useless piece of paper, I had an EPC done on my last house so I know that it only involves someone walking round with a clip board ticking boxes. Thanks.

da_rule

An application for an EPC must have been competed by the seller by the time the property is put on the market, unless it is a listed building or has had a Green Deal assessment.

I have done a quick search of the Council For Mortgage Lenders Handbook and cannot see any reference to the EPC in their (using Halifax the mortgage provider), so it should not be a problem here.

Katgrit

If the house you're buying has previously been sold within the last however long you may find theres already an EPC on it - search here: https://www.epcregister.com/reportSearchAddressTerms.html

I was hurrying to get one done before my house went on Rightmove and then found the previous one from when I bought 4 years ago. They last 10yrs. Saved me a nice amount!

Kazza_Monkey

Thanks Katgrit and darule I guess I will just have to wait and see as their definitely isn't an EPC showing from the link. I get the feeling the people I'm buying from don't want to pay out for it. I do know they are liable to be fined though......I wonder if the estate agent will be in trouble as well as the I am the second person trying to buy it, the first sale fell through for them. I'm not really bothered if it has an EPC or not as the survey was fine:)

Mind_the_Gap

Kazza_Monkey wrote: »

I'm not really bothered if it has an EPC or not as the survey was fine:)

The EPC is nothing to do with the structural survey and you should be bothered - a poor EPC rating could cost you thousands more in energy bills than a similar sized property with a better rating. If it is a low rating (D or worse) you could use it as a bargaining point to get a price reduction.

Mind_the_Gap

Katgrit wrote: »

I was hurrying to get one done before my house went on Rightmove and then found the previous one from when I bought 4 years ago. They last 10yrs. Saved me a nice amount!

Let's keep this in proportion. It saved you approximately £50 (peanuts, in the grand scale of things when selling property). Plus, if you had made any improvements to the energy efficiency of your property since the original report was done, it would have been worth paying the £50 to get a new one done and use the better rating as a selling point.:cool:

kBHX

In reality few people, if any, even bother looking at the EPC when buying a new home. I'd use the old one and save the £50.

Mind_the_Gap

kBHX wrote: »

In reality few people, if any, even bother looking at the EPC when buying a new home. I'd use the old one and save the £50.

More fool them, then (i.e. the ignorant buyers. They could use a poor EPC to bargain the price down). However, you seem confused. When you are buying a home, you do not need to pay for the EPC - it's the seller who has it done.

And even if you were selling and could save £50 by not having another done (assuming one existed already), that would only be worth it if (i)the rating hadn't changed at all, or (ii) you have a queue of buyers fighting each other for your property (which is happening in London, but not elsewhere atm).

pinkpiglit

Out of interest, what (if anything) happens if it's a private sale and no EPC was provided prior to exchange/completion ?

Does anyone check that a certificate is in place, aside from estate agents and buyers solicitor ?

Kazza_Monkey

Thanks mind the gap, I think you have a very valid point. However I'm buying in the south east and if I try to re negotiate over a couple of thousand pound based on future energy costs I think the seller will probably turn round and tell me to go forth and multiply. Especially as the survey came back the same as we have offered. I know the boiler is an older one and it will cost approx 3k to replace ( I had the boiler in our old house replaced October last year so have a good idea), it has had cavity wall insulation done in 2012 and loft insulation also done at the same time. The price we are buying the house for is 185k it's zoopla value is 223k so all the faults are reflected in the price we are paying. I would never have marketed my own house without all the paper work in order hence I paid out the £120 for the EPC at the time as the fine is £200 if you get found out.
I know the onus is on the seller but I'm living in rather cramped conditions at the moment and don't want it all to be held up by one piece of paper that isn't bothering me personally.

Katgrit

Mind_the_Gap wrote: »

Let's keep this in proportion. It saved you approximately £50 (peanuts, in the grand scale of things when selling property). Plus, if you had made any improvements to the energy efficiency of your property since the original report was done, it would have been worth paying the £50 to get a new one done and use the better rating as a selling point.:cool:

I live out in the sticks and the cheapest I could find was more than £50. And £50 might be peanuts to you, but its a fair whack to me. I've actually have had a new combi boiler fitted since the original EPC was done. When my viewers came round that asked about the heating and I pointed out the shiny new boiler handing on the wall, which is also mentioned in the Estate agents particulars. I used the actual boiler as a selling point - didn't need a new EPC to do that.

I've never had anyone ask about or discuss an EPC in any of the houses I've sold - I think people tend to have other priorities. I cant imagine anyone deciding not to view a house they liked because the EPC wasn't quite as good as it could be.

And if you'd be so kind as to throw some of your peanuts my way.....