EPC - what if they're wrong?

ladybee

Hi - wonder if anyone has any experience in this.

Bought this house in October last year. EPC at the time stated 270mm of loft insulation and 4/5 stars for energy efficiency in the loft. The EPC gave the house a rating of C, with actually very few obvious improvements.

Needless to say, 9 months later and we spent most of the winter extremely cold. We could've easily been spending near £200 per month on the gas, but couldn't afford it and ended up putting up with most of the house at about 13/14C for most of the winter..it's been fun!

Anyway...on having our bathroom done and hence some pipework/old water tank in the loft just pulled out, we've discovered our "270mm" of loft insulation is in fact black plastic bin bags, stuffed with old clothes, placed between the roof joists. I couldn't believe it when we realised. The energy savings that the EPC claimed had been made up there, definitely haven't been.

Does anyone have any idea if I've got any grounds for complaint/compensation (I had a brief look online and it says to contact the people who did the EPC, which is also incidentally the estate agents who sold it). I wonder if anybody has had any similar experience? Or is it just the case of we should've checked every single last detail before we signed on the dotted line? I rather suspect the latter, but if so it seems a big con when the EPC is a legal document.

Thanks

Smiley_Dan

Yes, they often are wrong because they are approximations built on assumptions. Likely the assessor didn't even go into the loft, or just poked their head through the hatch and assumed what they saw there was repeated elsewhere.

Even worse are the new build ones, especially the volume house builders who provide scant evidence and get C ratings when they should be G.

Maybe http://www.nesltd.co.uk/content/complaints-resolution-service may help.

I don't think the EPC can be considered a legal document when it is so flimsily put together.

ladybee

Thanks Smiley Dan. You're probably right - I think I more meant the fact it's a legal requirement when selling?

Interesting we've found paperwork in the loft from the company who allegedly did this loft insulation in 2012, that states 20sqm of 20sqm of lost has been insulated as well as the loft hatch (which it all hasn't). Maybe the EPC assessors were going off that...and perhaps this is the company to contact? Clutching at straws (actually straws would probably insulate better than the nonsense up there at the mo).

sheffield_lad

The assessor responsible will have their name on the EPC page 4, this should be your first move, email him/her and explain the situation.


GL

footyguy

ladybee wrote: »

Hi - wonder if anyone has any experience in this.

Bought this house in October last year. EPC at the time stated 270mm of loft insulation and 4/5 stars for energy efficiency in the loft. The EPC gave the house a rating of C, with actually very few obvious improvements.

Needless to say, 9 months later and we spent most of the winter extremely cold. We could've easily been spending near £200 per month on the gas, but couldn't afford it and ended up putting up with most of the house at about 13/14C for most of the winter..it's been fun!

Anyway...on having our bathroom done and hence some pipework/old water tank in the loft just pulled out, we've discovered our "270mm" of loft insulation is in fact black plastic bin bags, stuffed with old clothes, placed between the roof joists. I couldn't believe it when we realised. The energy savings that the EPC claimed had been made up there, definitely haven't been.

Does anyone have any idea if I've got any grounds for complaint/compensation (I had a brief look online and it says to contact the people who did the EPC, which is also incidentally the estate agents who sold it). I wonder if anybody has had any similar experience? Or is it just the case of we should've checked every single last detail before we signed on the dotted line? I rather suspect the latter, but if so it seems a big con when the EPC is a legal document.

Thanks

When was the EPC produced? I think they are valid for up to 10 years.

Like an MOT for a motor vehicle, it only represents the condition at the time of inspection.

After so much time having now passed anyway, I suspect you will have difficulty proving anything.

What about your own survey you would have carried out at time of purchase? Did that not mention anything about loft insulation???

sheffield_lad

footyguy wrote: »

When was the EPC produced? I think they are valid for up to 10 years.

Like an MOT for a motor vehicle, it only represents the condition at the time of inspection.

Which is why quite a few Solicitors are now requesting vendors to renew their EPC if they are over 5yrs old and/or anything effecting the EPC has changed EG new boiler, windows, insulation etc.