Energy Performance Certificates

chriserenity

speedtwin wrote: »

Bloody hell that was some heavy duty reading

Yes, I mentioned the headache inducing nature of the tome to CLG when I spoke to them and asked if they were planning on putting something a bit more user friendly together for landlords and tenants to which they replied:

"No current plans Mr Lane "

brigbrown

chriserenity wrote: »

The landlord has let you see the EPC by law so if you're a new tenant in a new tenancy after October legally speaking the EPC must be available to you before you as a prospective tenant.

Hi chriserenity,
I have a property that I rent out and I do welcome the idea of the EPC, we should be discussing housing in this way and I can see why legislation is necessary.

As you are a DEA, perhaps you could answer a query I have. My property is currently occupied by a long term tenant and I renew the contract yearly. When must I have legally obtained the EPC? Before October 2008? When I renew the contract (December 2008)? When I rent the property out to a different tenant (possibly many years away)?

Also, how do I locate a DEA in my local area?

Thanks,
BrigBrown

clutton_2

""or perhaps it hasn't been thought through properly"


understatement of this year !! (so far !)

chriserenity

brigbrown wrote: »

Hi chriserenity,
I have a property that I rent out and I do welcome the idea of the EPC, we should be discussing housing in this way and I can see why legislation is necessary.

As you are a DEA, perhaps you could answer a query I have. My property is currently occupied by a long term tenant and I renew the contract yearly. When must I have legally obtained the EPC? Before October 2008? When I renew the contract (December 2008)? When I rent the property out to a different tenant (possibly many years away)?

Also, how do I locate a DEA in my local area?

Thanks,
BrigBrown

Hi
Brigbrown,

From CLG website:

The EPC and recommendation report must be made available free of charge by the landlord to a prospective tenant at the earliest opportunity and no later than:

• when any written information about the building is provided in response to a request for information received from the prospective tenant; or
• when a viewing is conducted; or
• if neither of those occur, before entering into a contract to let.

So at the latest before you sign the contract to rent the property to a new tenant in a new tenancy. Your position is equivalent to the non-mover market in HIPs. Meaning people who don't move house and tenants who keep renewing their tenancy will according to the current legislation never need to obtain an EPC. I had a meeting with the housing minister Caroline Flint a few days ago and asked her if there were any plans to make EPCs mandatory for the above mentioned groups - no answer yet.

You can locate a DEA in your local area by seaching your local online directories/googling them e.g. DEA or EPC + your nearest major town. Also, the following site lists all accredited Energy Assessors: HCR Register The problem with this list is that it brings up people who live fifty miles away from your property so its important to check where they live (this is listed on their account). Many of us tried to get into the Yellow Pages but they said there wasn't enough demand with only 8 thousand licences granted. I wonder how many is enough?

Which part of the country are you in?

brigbrown

chriserenity,

Many thanks for the clarification, I now know the appropriate time to instruct a DEA. Very useful information.

BTW we're in Cambridgeshire.

Cheers,

BrigBrown

sooz

chris

Could you clarify how long the EPC is valid for, and if you need a new one for each new set of tenants?

TIA

chriserenity

sooz wrote: »

chris

Could you clarify how long the EPC is valid for, and if you need a new one for each new set of tenants?

TIA

Yes, for domestic rentals the EPC has a life of 10 years from production. The same EPC can be used/shown to each successive tenant over the life of the EPC with no obligation to update it within those 10 years.

sooz

chriserenity wrote: »

Yes, for domestic rentals the EPC has a life of 10 years from production. The same EPC can be used/shown to each successive tenant over the life of the EPC with no obligation to update it within those 10 years.

thanks! That's not so bad - I was worried as I keep reading that you should get a new one with each new set of tenants!

chriserenity

sooz wrote: »

thanks! That's not so bad - I was worried as I keep reading that you should get a new one with each new set of tenants!

The only reason I can think of why a landlord might renew the EPC before the 10 years are up is if the property was significantly improvement (energy wise) e.g. a condensing gas boiler was installed and the insulation in the loft was topped up.

The then enhanced EPC score would show the property as more efficient which means tenants will enjoy lower bills by living there. How the landlord chooses to use this positive selling point of their property is up to them/the letting agents.

cmjb

I just found out about these energy performance certificates for rentals. I'm very happy to be able to compare properties. Where I live in the northwest, there is some competition between tenants, but probably not as much as down south.

We lucked into a property with a good landlord, who put in a new condensing boiler, and has insulated the attic and put in double glazing. As a result our bills are very low.

Were we to have to move, I would actively compare properties on the basis of their energy ratings. However, please note -- I have a good landlord, and am reluctant to move! If you're a landlord looking to make money, I would think you'd want tenants like us: ones who are happy, stable, pay on time, and take care of your property. Responsible people will probably tend to be energy aware.

It would be nice to see the rental market develop here as it has in other countries. I wasn't too crazy about the fly-by-night buy-to-letters we let from when we lived in the Midlands.