EPC Question

J_i_m

Well I certainly look at the EPC. I may not go out of my way to find it at advert stage, but if it's there and it shows up poor efficiency it enables me to make a decision then and there about whether I'd want the property or not.

It may not mean much to you, but poor efficiency generally equals higher bills. And that adds up. When I'm ready to buy, poor EPC will be a big turn off, absence of EPC altogether will be a deal breaker.

AdrianC

J_i_m wrote: »

Well I certainly look at the EPC. I may not go out of my way to find it at advert stage, but if it's there and it shows up poor efficiency it enables me to make a decision then and there about whether I'd want the property or not.

It may not mean much to you, but poor efficiency generally equals higher bills. And that adds up. When I'm ready to buy, poor EPC will be a big turn off, absence of EPC altogether will be a deal breaker.

If you think that EPC tells you _anything_ about the energy efficiency of the property, you're in cloud cuckoo land, frankly.

Last year, we were in a rented place for a few months, we sold our old house, and we bought this one.

Rented - very draughty barn conversion, c 70sqm. Single glazed. Cold. £250 in mains gas for one month.

Old house - reasonably efficient detached in suburbia. c 75sqm. Mostly secondary glazed. Average £70pcm gas DD.

New house - very well insulated. c.250sqm. Detached in middle of nowhere. Solar hot water. Average £60pcm LPG DD.

And guess what...? ALL of them were 30 or 31 EPC.

brenda10

Katgrit wrote: »

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.....

Katgrit, could you help me if possible. I read above a boiler replacement can cost 3k, I am unsure if that would be for a combi boiler. We will need to change ours and would be greatful for an approx. cost. Thanks

Johnandabby

AdrianC wrote: »

If you think that EPC tells you _anything_ about the energy efficiency of the property, you're in cloud cuckoo land, frankly.

Last year, we were in a rented place for a few months, we sold our old house, and we bought this one.

Rented - very draughty barn conversion, c 70sqm. Single glazed. Cold. £250 in mains gas for one month.

Old house - reasonably efficient detached in suburbia. c 75sqm. Mostly secondary glazed. Average £70pcm gas DD.

New house - very well insulated. c.250sqm. Detached in middle of nowhere. Solar hot water. Average £60pcm LPG DD.

And guess what...? ALL of them were 30 or 31 EPC.

So your 'new' well insulated house with solar hot water had an EPC score of 30/31?? I don't believe that at all! I haven't ever had an EPC rating of less than 69 for any new house, even with electric heating. Most are in the high 80s, even without solar hot water.

I don't believe for a minute that the 3 EPCs would be the same if undertaken correctly. The EPC for the new house would be significantly better and would show that even though it's significantly larger than the other 2 that annual energy bills would be smaller.

AdrianC

Johnandabby wrote: »

So your 'new' well insulated house with solar hot water had an EPC score of 30/31?? I don't believe that at all!

By "new", I mean "new to us", not "Ink still wet on the NHBC paperwork". The old bit of the house is c.1700, but heavily renovated, with a c.5yo oak-framed extension, and underfloor heating throughout.

I don't care whether you believe me or not - 30 is what it scored. The problem is that the assessor can't tick any of the boxes unless he can actually touch the insulation or whatever. And if there's no loft, with the roof slope being fully panelled in, that means it officially counts as "no insulation".

Kazza_Monkey

brenda10 wrote: »

Katgrit, could you help me if possible. I read above a boiler replacement can cost 3k, I am unsure if that would be for a combi boiler. We will need to change ours and would be greatful for an approx. cost. Thanks

Hi it was me that mentioned 3k for a boiler. We had a new Worcester 24i combi boiler fitted, wireless controls, power flush and old tanks decommissioned and removed, it took 3 days for the plumbers to complete the work and about a month to get the gas safe certificate. I am in the south east so you may find the prices vary by region.

Kazza_Monkey

J_i_m wrote: »

Well I certainly look at the EPC. I may not go out of my way to find it at advert stage, but if it's there and it shows up poor efficiency it enables me to make a decision then and there about whether I'd want the property or not.

It may not mean much to you, but poor efficiency generally equals higher bills. And that adds up. When I'm ready to buy, poor EPC will be a big turn off, absence of EPC altogether will be a deal breaker.

Jim, thank you for your response I thought that would be the case for some people. As the property I'm buying doesn't yet have an EPC rating I am unable to comment wether it's A rated or G rated. At a guess I would say about C/D. It's had cavity wall insulation and loft insulation done in 2012 and is already double glazed. We know the boiler is old and will be getting it replaced. We are paying a price for the property that reflects the work involved. And the EPC rating would be important if we were paying top whack for it but as we aren't it's not an issue to us

brenda10

Kazza_Monkey wrote: »

Hi it was me that mentioned 3k for a boiler. We had a new Worcester 24i combi boiler fitted, wireless controls, power flush and old tanks decommissioned and removed, it took 3 days for the plumbers to complete the work and about a month to get the gas safe certificate. I am in the south east so you may find the prices vary by region.

Thank you, I will be getting estimate but your detailed info is brilliant, thank you

captainhindsight_2

The seller or agent can be fined if they do not provide you with an EPC, see here i can't actually see how much though.

Also the rating can have affect on value see here. I know personally as a landlord I find that properties that I own with a higher EPC rating are more attractive and rent quicker and longer so I actively seek out higher EPC ratings for any BTLs as it increases my returns.

brenda10

Kazza_Monkey wrote: »

Hi it was me that mentioned 3k for a boiler. We had a new Worcester 24i combi boiler fitted, wireless controls, power flush and old tanks decommissioned and removed, it took 3 days for the plumbers to complete the work and about a month to get the gas safe certificate. I am in the south east so you may find the prices vary by region.

Kazza_Monkey sorry I could not give you any help with EPC certificate, In process of buying house so will be making sure we get ours from EAgent.
About the combi bolier, our old boiler thing is upstairs taking up space in bedroom cupboard, we want it out and new one will be in kitchen I assume, question is, was it a terribly messy job? Would you want to be in the house when workers are there? or the place could be wrecked!!! Did they have to dig up floor etc to lay pipes or existing ones ok, our house is going to be gas heating so not related to boiler or maybe is, or was it the matter of fitting combi boiler and removing other, when you say 3 days to do must have been extensive work. House in Luton area, thanks for your help.
At present loft insulated, walls foam filled and reading is D so hoping that combi boiler reduces our money paid out in the longer term.