Home described in EPC as having "Room in roof' loft, but I'm questioning if definition is correct

EzraHawkwind

Grumpy_chap said:

EzraHawkwind said:

A bit of a strange question, but has anyone recently had an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) done, where the second storey of their house has been described as 'Room in roof', even though they don't believe it is?

I'm trying to find out if there could be any implications as a result of this description?

For example, because my house has been described as having a 'Room in roof' loft,  I'm not eligible for any loft insulation grants and also, it kind of makes it sound like a bungalow?

Maybe I'm just misunderstanding, but it doesn't quite make sense to me.

Many thanks for any input.

Can you give us a bit more to go on?
How would you describe your home? House, flat, bungalow, chalet bungalow, mansion, manor house, barn conversion...
How many rooms on each floor?
Is there a loft?
Does the loft cover the full roof area?
What is the access to the loft?
Is this an error in ticking the incorrect box by the EPC Assessor?

Hello. It's a semi-detached 'chalet-style' house. There is a loft, which is accessible only by putting ladders up to the entrance. The upstairs rooms windows do come out of the roof, but that's just part of the design of the house, I thought. The loft still remains as a separate entity. What started my query is that my next door neighbour's had theirs done recently and their surveyor has put theirs down as a normal loft. Our houses are exactly the same, so one of the surveyors must be wrong?

EzraHawkwind

Hoenir said:

EzraHawkwind said:

For example, because my house has been described as having a 'Room in roof' loft,  I'm not eligible for any loft insulation grants and also, it kind of makes it sound like a bungalow?

Chalet style. How much accessible loft space do you have? Other than around the eaves. 

I can get into all of it by ladder.

EzraHawkwind

Chickereeeee said:

sammyjammy said:

I don't think the EPC will be altered by "a room in the roof", a room in a converted attic would normally be described in this way because it doesn't meet requirements to be called a bedroom for safety reasons e.g. no door or head height.

In UK usage (usually) a loft is the space under a pitched roof accessed by a loft ladder. An attic is a room in the roof space accessed by a staircase.

Often now corrupted by American usage, but I think it is a useful definition.

This is why I'm confused, unless I'm just being extremely dim (it's possible). My loft can only be accessed via a ladder and though the rooms upstairs do have windows that come out of the roof, I didn't think that they would be classed as part of the loft?

EzraHawkwind

badmemory said:

My experience of an EPC is that they are not to be trusted.  When we sold my mother's house they insisted we have one.   It stated that the house had solid floors, it didn't & was very easy to prove.  They refused to correct it.  Try a different provider & the answers will probably completely different.

Thank you. I'm certainly thinking about doing that.

EzraHawkwind

greyteam1959 said:

Yes I agree.
EPC's are ridiculous.
I had an argument with the person that did my EPC.
He said a property of that age could not possibly have a cavity wall.
It flippin well has a cavity wall !!

It just seems like another money-making scheme to me, when there's so much ambiguity:(

EzraHawkwind

grumbler said:

I've seen a report saying 'double glazing' when in fact it was single.

I think many of these 'surveyors' are charlatans. 'Assumed' is their favourite term.

Yes, 'assumed' was used quite a lot on mine.

unforeseen

Chickereeeee said:

sammyjammy said:

I don't think the EPC will be altered by "a room in the roof", a room in a converted attic would normally be described in this way because it doesn't meet requirements to be called a bedroom for safety reasons e.g. no door or head height.

In UK usage (usually) a loft is the space under a pitched roof accessed by a loft ladder. An attic is a room in the roof space accessed by a staircase.

Often now corrupted by American usage, but I think it is a useful definition.

I've always called them an attic as had my parents so that goes back at least 60 years. Maybe it's a regional thing.

ETA
Oxford dictionary definition. = a space or room inside or partly inside the roof of a building. 

Nothing about staircases. 
I reckon the American corruption is the other way around and makes loft and attic different things whereas in English the names are/were interchangeable