Advice on EPC certificate

AnnaNd_2

Hi,
I am currently looking to buy a house/flat and found a really nice one but noticed that last EPC assessment was done in Jan 2010 (so it's been almost 9 years), rated E. I know they are valid for 10 years but I read somewhere that when property goes on sale sellers usually get a new certificate. I contacted the agent to find out whether the seller is planning on getting a new one done and she said no as certificate is valid until Jan 2020.
Do you think this is a red flag? Considering the property got E rating 9 years ago, is it a risk that they haven't done one recently? Is it something I should demand and require as a condition to my offer if I go for it? Or do I just pay £100 for a new certificate once I bought the house? Thanks so much!

eddddy

If the owners haven't done anything to improve energy efficiency in the last 9 years, there's no real point in getting a new certificate.

Why are you thinking you need one?

(If they've done something like installed double glazing, loft insulation, or more efficient heating - I guess they would have got a new certificate.)

Davesnave

If you want an up to date EPC there is nothing stopping you from arranging and paying for one as part of the survey work you may have done as part of due diligence. If the existing one is still valid, it's not something you should demand.

However, it's probably more important to know why the efficiency rating was low when last assessed, and if any work has been carried out that could have improved it. Your surveyor might be more use to you there than a relatively unskilled EPC assesor.

EPCs are not necessarily 100% accurate and only a broad indicator of what heating bills may be like.

AdrianC

Davesnave wrote: »

EPCs are not necessarily 100% accurate...

Understatement of the week, Dave.


Six years ago, we sold a house, rented a house, bought a house. All three had roughly the same EPC score. The actual energy performance of each of the three could not have been more different.

Davesnave

AdrianC wrote: »

Understatement of the week, Dave.

Agreed, but I've had 4 on different properties now, and they've all been broadly correct.


However, this may be partly due to me knowing the answers to all the 'surveyors' questions and not allowing them to write guff!

Smodlet

Maybe you could look into improving the EPC rating by doing work yourself once you have bought it and get a certificate done then.

Surrey_EA

As the existing EPC is still valid, the majority of sellers would not bother to get a new one prepared, unless there has been some significant improvements which would result in a dramatic change in the rating.

In my experience very few people pay much attention to them when buying a house.

I certainly wouldn't consider it a red flag, and if I were to buy the house I also wouldn't bother getting another EPC - what would be the point?

dunstonh

I recently paid for an EPC and it was a complete and utter waste of money in terms of what info it provides. it is money for old rope.

Virtually all the data on there is estimated and was way off the mark in terms of reality.

Davesnave

dunstonh wrote: »

I recently paid for an EPC and it was a complete and utter waste of money in terms of what info it provides. it is money for old rope.

Virtually all the data on there is estimated and was way off the mark in terms of reality.

The data wouldn't have been estimated if you'd been there and able to supply answers. However, many people aren't around when it's done, or don't know much, so the assessment then becomes a work of fiction.

There's way round this, which would be to make the assessment more rigorous and use experienced personnel, but that would cost far more.

As Surrey EA says, few people seem to value the EPC, so through a conspiracy of general disinterest, the present c0ck-eyed apology for a true appraisal is tolerated.

AdrianC

Davesnave wrote: »

The data wouldn't have been estimated if you'd been there and able to supply answers.

Telling the assessor shouldn't make any difference - you could tell them any old load of steaming codswallop. The assessment is meant to only take account of things that can be directly proven - ideally the assessor can touch/prod/lick the insulation etc, but photographic evidence might be sufficient.

Davesnave

AdrianC wrote: »

Telling the assessor shouldn't make any difference - you could tell them any old load of steaming codswallop. The assessment is meant to only take account of things that can be directly proven - ideally the assessor can touch/prod/lick the insulation etc, but photographic evidence might be sufficient.

Yes, the proven bit gets skipped if it's a tad difficult to see and the assessor goes straight to ' none assumed' in the case of something like cavity wall insulation. That's why being there and saying "Look, you can view it here" as I did last time, makes a difference.


I bet if he'd been on his own, or I'd been some old lady, he'd not have magically found the place in the loft where it's visible. Indeed, I'd have been lucky to see him put his head through the loft hatch for more than 5 seconds.