EPC downgraded from C to D

JonMitchell

We have a EPC carried out in 2020 which we were awarded a C rating. Just had a surveyor to do a EPC, despite us having a valid EPC. She had downgraded our EPC rating from C to D, bang on at 68 points - a C will be 69 points and above.

I was wondering if I can get some advice from well versed people here:

a.) With a valid EPC in place, I understand it has a 10year cycle, is there a need to do an EPC if selling my property in Scotland? I understand the new 5yr cycle only kicks in from 1st November 2026.

b.) In our previous assessment, under lighting section we had 5stars but the new EPC given us only 4stars. I enquired with the assessor about us having low energy LED throughout our property. She then came back with a 5 star for lighting section but the points remained at 68 and still D rating.

Just trying to find out if there is room for us to get back to C as she claimed there had been software upgrade but software upgrade should not penalised us for things we have done to get ourselves a C rating previously.

I would have thought any star upgrade should warrant some points improvement to the overall EPC?

Would appreciate your suggestions/input.

theartfullodger

See Scottish government advice on when an EPC is needed….

https://www.mygov.scot/energy-performance-certificates/when-you-need-epc

""You need an EPC when:applying for a completion certificate for a new property
selling a property
renting a property to a new tenant (including short term and holiday lets)
In Scotland, this includes places of worship and listed or historic buildings. This is different from the rules in other parts of the UK. ""

I have always expected different people to possibly provide different ratings for EPC.

Was a landlord in Scotland for 20+ years. When an EPC was "unwelcome" my first approach was to order a new one from someone else. Not always successful but an easy, obvious, option.

Best regards

JonMitchell

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81998439#Comment_81998439

The original EPC before we purchased our property was done by the same surveyor who rated it at E in 2017. We followed most of the recommendations in the EPC and spending loads of money and time to have it upgraded to C.

Was rather pxxx when this same surveyor came back again with a D rating!

Will definitely consider getting another EPC done.

jennifernil

There was a discussion on this on TV this morning. A couple who had a house built with all the latest technology, masses of insulation, solar panels etc, got an A rating at the time, but have just been downgraded to a C as the inspector would not accept that the house was so well insulated as he could not see it! So he insisted on using standard assumptions. Would not even accept seeing how low the fuel bills were.

In another instance, a couple who had replaced their Gas boiler with a heat pump, to be green, were also downgraded as their fuel bills had gone up.

JonMitchell

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81998551#Comment_81998551

Didn't expect to see cowboy within EPC assessments as well, lol! Thanks for the info!!

jimi_man

To be an EPC assessor, it’s a five day course which you can do online. No other qualifications required and you are then qualified to conduct EPC ratings for pretty much any house in the UK.

When we had ours done before we moved, I was chatting to the guy about it.

JonMitchell

https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/comment/81998794#Comment_81998794

This means there are likely to be more inexperienced cowboys over other trades then. Sorry but we are just being ripped off by all these cowboys.

Mr.Generous

The easiest way to get the extra point is to remove any secondary electric heating, If you have a feature elec fire it will score you between -2 (a tiny flat) to about -4 on a big house. It won't show o the report, but just remove, blank off fireplace, get assessment then replace the fire.

Next would be add 100mm loft insulation if yours isnt well insulated. - probably 1 or 2 points.

Adding heating controls (room stat and / or TRV's can get you 2 points.

Last resort cavity wall insulation, cost you a bit but at 1 point shy it would certainly get you over.