Which fence do we own?

BobProperty

subjecttocontract wrote: »

You say you plan to make the lives of people like me as difficult as possible, well I'm sorry to inform you that your competition will most likely be embracing EPCs and if you're not careful you could be left behind to your detriment. I am actively working with my local landlords to help them understand their EPC duties and further to that promote EPCs in a way beneficial to landlords. Most dealings I have had have been positive.

Can you expain why I should 'embrace' EPC's for my leasehold flats when I can do very little to affect/improve their energy performance ? e.g

1. I can't add loft insulation.....I don't own the loft.
2. I can't fit cavity wall insulation....I don't own the walls.
3. I can't fit a more efficient boiler.....its electric heating.
4. I already have double glazing and draught proofing.
5. The hot water tank has more than enough insulation already.
6. The heating & hot water are thermostaticaly controlled and timed.
etc etc

What makes you think you will be doing landlords a favour ?

They aren't. I will give it less than two years before we hear about the first "fake" EPC where some dodgy landlord has copied one and changed the address and the odd few details. I would also expect "blank" forms to be available on ebay and the like, similar to the "blank" payslips that used to be available. (although I can still get "blank" payslips without a problem). EPCs are about as much use as government fuel consumption figures for 7 series BMWs, and S Class Mercs.

subjecttocontract

Its an insult to my intelligence to be told to pay for an EPC which will tell me less than I already know.

What a complete and utter waste of time.

The EPC inspectors or 'apprentice surveyors' as I prefer to call them just better not turn up with muddy shoes, without a torch and wanting to borrow my ladder......like many proper surveyors have over the years.

In the popularity stakes the EPC inspector is at least a couple of notches below traffic wardens, bank managers and speed cameras.

Gorgeous_George

I thought your fence was usually on the left as you look at the house from the road. In practice, it is better to share responsibility with neighbours - unless you live next door to Northern Rock, in which case I wouldn't bother.

GG

sarah1975uk

I have this same problem. I have 4 houses that back onto the left hand side of my back garden all the nice side of the fencing is facing their back garden and posts and back of the fencing is in mine. At the back of my garden i have one house with nice fencing facing into my garden(so think thats mine) to the right of me is another house the fence posts are on my side but the nice fencing side is facing their garden so presume that is their fence? their fence is half falling down and they have come to me wanting me to share the cost, but why should i if its their fence. Im not made of money and havent got it anyway for their expence! THey are good neighbours generally but im not working at the mo and have limited income!

chriserenity

subjecttocontract wrote: »

Can you expain why I should 'embrace' EPC's for my leasehold flats when I can do very little to affect/improve their energy performance ? e.g

1. I can't add loft insulation.....I don't own the loft.
2. I can't fit cavity wall insulation....I don't own the walls.
3. I can't fit a more efficient boiler.....its electric heating.
4. I already have double glazing and draught proofing.
5. The hot water tank has more than enough insulation already.
6. The heating & hot water are thermostaticaly controlled and timed.
etc etc

I think you asked me this question on another thread which I believe I responded to.

subjecttocontract wrote: »

What makes you think you will be doing landlords a favour ?

The EPC is information. A blueprint for landlords to explain how to raise the energy efficiency of a property. The recommendations in the EPC are however not mandatory. For many people this equates to a pointless exercise but what you've got to realise is the EPC is a new document and its effects and development have yet to be felt. In time it will become the de facto information used by tenants in deciding whether they can afford the rent on a property in light of the inescapable effects of peak oil specifically on the spread of fuel poverty across most of the nation.

The EPC will be used by tenants to judge one property against another and so more efficient properties will win out against less efficient rivals. Many landlords will say that tenants don't value energy efficiency very highly compared to other factors but as I said as we pass the point of peak oil and the consequences set in energy efficiency will become proportionally more important as the crisis develops.

The point of this post is not to cause despair but to inject a bit of perspective into the role of the EPC.

I inspected a landlord's property last week to provide his EPC. He was highly sceptical of the whole thing much as you are. Before the inspection he didn't realise he could even get solid wall insulation for his Victorian property or how the EPC will be used in the future. Suffice to say he tells me he plans to act on the recommendations n the EPC as he is in the process overhauling the property anyway. If he does everything he says his rating will rise from 21/100 to 53/100, a huge jump in efficiency terms and a real investment in the future marketability of his property.

Does that answer your question?

subjecttocontract

No it doesn't. It misses the whole point.

I inspected a landlord's property last week to provide his EPC. He was highly sceptical of the whole thing much as you are. Before the inspection he didn't realise he could even get solid wall insulation for his Victorian property or how the EPC will be used in the future.

One swallow doesn't make a summer. There are always exceptions and for every story you have I can tell you of a property that won't benefit.

You'll have to try a lot harder to sell this waste of time to me.......oh but I forgot......you don't have to because the gov have made it compulsory.

If he does everything he says his rating will rise from 21/100 to 53/100, a huge jump in efficiency terms and a real investment in the future marketability of his property.

I object to paying good money to a pretend surveyor to be told a combination of the bleeding obvious & what I already know.

If it wasn't compulsory......you wouldn't have a job.

setmefree2

Hi again,

If my neighbour 2 doors down "owns" the right fence - does that mean I own the right fence

sarah1975uk

setmefree2 wrote: »

Hi again,

If my neighbour 2 doors down "owns" the right fence - does that mean I own the right fence

I think it depends on who adjoins your garden like i have 5 other houses around and adjoining my back garden... which confuses the matter of whos fence is mine even more.. dont have my deeds so i expect crap to hit the fan later when they sort the fence and demand money from me!

Would the solicitor who dealt with me buying the house have a copy of the plans and boundaries still? i brought the house in 2006.

Poppy9

When I moved into my house my neighbour on the right told me I owned the boundary walls and was responsible for their upkeep. Then my neighbour on the left told me I owned that boundary wall and was responsible for the upkeep. I knew it was unlikely I would be responsible for both wall but they both had their version of you are responsible for right/left boundary. I asked my solicitor to check my deeds and they are all party walls marked with a H so we are equally responsible and have to share the cost of upkeep.

BobProperty

subjecttocontract wrote: »

Its an insult to my intelligence to be told to pay for an EPC which will tell me less than I already know.

What a complete and utter waste of time.

The EPC inspectors or 'apprentice surveyors' as I prefer to call them just better not turn up with muddy shoes, without a torch and wanting to borrow my ladder......like many proper surveyors have over the years.

In the popularity stakes the EPC inspector is at least a couple of notches below traffic wardens, bank managers and speed cameras.

I am in rented accommodation. I have replaced a lot of the light bulbs in here with low energy bulbs. Whenever my landlord gets his EPC this will help improve his score, possibly to the point that it ups the grading by a band. I will take all my low energy bulbs with me when I move out. Nothing except the actual threat of prosecution would make my landlord spend any money he didn't have to on his properties.
subjecttocontract - "apprentice surveyors" will at least have indemnity insurance held by the firm they are apprenticed to. These government fake jobs "pretend surveyors" either won't or will quickly find that they can't afford such insurance once one or two have been hammered in court over their shortcomings. I know I keep going on about this but we are at an early stage with these "jobs" or "businesses" and it will take a year or two before things start settling out.