Challenging an EPC

Nsar2

Had an EPC done in 2004 rated 50 points. House is on market so just had a new one done - rated 44 points, this is despite us adding cavity wall insulation to c. 25% of the wall area and installing a big solar set up 2 years ago which means we are now net exporters of c.1500 kWh per annum and our oil consumption has fallen as we heat our water from solar rather than oil for about 5 months a year. I challenged this with the EPC assessor's training body and got this in reply "The EPC isn’t just a report on the efficiency of a home, but the cost of the fuel used too"
If this is true everyone's EPC is in flux as the price of fuel ebbs and flows and it sounds like a load of ****.
If it is true, and we've gone from being a buyer of electricity to a seller AND reduced our oil consumption how can an EPC fall when the house itself has become substantially better insulated?

MWT

Nsar2 said:

Had an EPC done in 2004 rated 50 points. House is on market so just had a new one done - rated 44 points, this is despite us adding cavity wall insulation to c. 25% of the wall area and installing a big solar set up 2 years ago which means we are now net exporters of c.1500 kWh per annum and our oil consumption has fallen as we heat our water from solar rather than oil for about 5 months a year. I challenged this with the EPC assessor's training body and got this in reply "The EPC isn’t just a report on the efficiency of a home, but the cost of the fuel used too"
If this is true everyone's EPC is in flux as the price of fuel ebbs and flows and it sounds like a load of ****.
If it is true, and we've gone from being a buyer of electricity to a seller AND reduced our oil consumption how can an EPC fall when the house itself has become substantially better insulated?

The basis for the ratings has shifted over the years, take a look at the details of the new EPC and see where it differs from your much older one...

See if anything has been missed or is factually incorrect.

With things like cavity wall insulation were you able to evidence the work as otherwise if it cannot be seen the assessor has to go with what would be expected as of the original build date...

Nsar2

The presence of the cavity wall insulation has been noted on the new EPC, as has the now 100% use of low energy lighting (it was 27% in 2004) and the presence of the solar. It just doesn't make sense that the building's insulation properties have been improved and its use of energy radically improved and yet the rating has fallen apparently because energy is more expensive. That doesn't make any sense to me

MWT

You have been misled, it isn't about the cost of the energy, it is about the amount of energy used,

It is not a detailed month by month assessment though.

Having solar helps, but still having an oil-fired boiler does not.

The amount of loft insulation considered good in 2004 is well below standard now.

Have a look at all the details on the EPC here is ours from a 'B' rated (85) property (2022), how does yours compare?:

What were the recommended improvements on the certificate?

Nsar2

This the EPC. The partial cavity wall is noted but it's not clear the insulated suspended floor in c. 25% of the floor area is included here but the assessor said it was noted. I asked him about heating water heating by solar for about 5 months of the year and he just said that can't be counted and that the main reason is the cost of fuel which is just nuts.

matelodave

this is mine, we can only manage a D rating despite the fact that we have a heatpump and even though the hot water is derived from the heatpump as well it gets a poor rating.

Feature	Description	Rating
Wall	Cavity wall, as built, insulated (assumed)	Good
Roof	Pitched, 300+ mm loft insulation	Very good
Window	Fully double glazed	Average
Main heating	Air source heat pump, underfloor, electric	Good
Main heating control	Time and temperature zone control	Very good
Hot water	From main system	Poor
Lighting	Low energy lighting in 77% of fixed outlets	Very good
Floor	Suspended, no insulation (assumed)	N/A
Secondary heating	Room heaters, wood logs	N/A

MWT

Nsar2 said:

This the EPC. The partial cavity wall is noted but it's not clear the insulated suspended floor in c. 25% of the floor area is included here but the assessor said it was noted. I asked him about heating water heating by solar for about 5 months of the year and he just said that can't be counted and that the main reason is the cost of fuel which is just nuts.

Nothing looks 'wrong' there it is mostly the oil fired heating/water heating that is a big negative, and the lack of cavity walls all round so having the insulation isn't as helpful as it could be.

Similarly I suspect the double -glazing was not using high rated glass, or you couldn't evidence it if it was.

You will have got points for having solar PV, but while you have the oil heating they are not going to give you more points for how you use the solar PV. 

Nothing obvious there that you could appeal unfortunately. 

The EPC process is not as scientific or as comprehensive as it could be, but it is quick and cheap. 

matt_drummer

I have to ask, does it matter?

You're selling the house.

Or, are you suggesting there is some correlation between the epc and the value of the house?

As an example, a higher epc does not change the amount of electricity you generate, how much you use to heat the water etc etc. 

The house has what it has, and is worth what somebody is prepared to pay for it, or am I wrong?

wrf12345

The coldest house I have ever lived in had a C, current house has D and is a lot warmer, heat pump and solar would push it to B I have been told by energy agent (trying to get grant). Neither house had top spec double glazing but recent combi boilers. There is some latitude as the recent one the guy doing the EPC asked where I wanted to end up  (D for grants), so it might possibly have crept into low C rather than high D.

HillStreetBlues

I found my dream home, but I can't buy it as only 44 points not 50!  Does anyone believe that would happen?

Qyburn

Nsar2 said:

I asked him about heating water heating by solar for about 5 months of the year and he just said that can't be counted and that the main reason is the cost of fuel which is just nuts.

Is there any form of control on water heating from the cooker?  I would expect to be gravity, and no way of a cylinder thermostat doing anything.