Landlords should have Energy Performance Certificates from 1st October

PasturesNew

Wonder what they'd make of my place.

It has one storage heater, that I've never used (no idea how and I think they're a waste of space). The kitchen has a wall mounted fan heater, that I've never used (never will), the shower room has a wall mounted fan heater, that I've never used (never will) and my sole source of heating is one fan heater in the living room.

Bungarm2001

<sigh> Yet another money-grabbing exercise for some council department or other staffed full of college leavers who haven't got a clue what they are looking for.

What really makes me laugh, if it was at all funny, is the cost 'might' be this or 'might' be that.

Yeah, definitely more paperwork and definitely more bluddy expense, AND whatever way you look at it, probably more added to the rent.

JeannettePrice

Hi Bungarm

The scheme is not run by councils. Energy Assessors either work for companies, panels or independantly, a bit like surveyors. They are accredited with government approved schemes who monitor their work.

The field is currently not full of 'college leavers', most are mature people including myself, who have varied work experiences. Some are existing surveyors.

In respect of the cost, you will get variations because they are not employed by the government. DEAs can charge what they like in realtion to market forces just like any other business. But, you can shop around and you will often get discounts for exclusive arrangements i.e. if they do all your properties, you will get them cheaper.

The cost is hardly great when you consider they are valid for 10 years. The average is probably about £60. £6 per year will hardly break the bank will it?

chickmug

Hi Jeanette
I am involved in commercial agency and understand this is to be a mandatory requirement by the end of this year. Do you do commercial or do you know where is there a source of assessors that do. Web links?

tbs624

JeannettePrice wrote: »

Hi Bungarm The field is currently not full of 'college leavers', most are mature people including myself, who have varied work experiences. Some are existing surveyors.

...and many are not. You can join the ranks of EPC assessors for a cost of around £3K

JeannettePrice wrote: »

The cost is hardly great when you consider they are valid for 10 years. The average is probably about £60. £6 per year will hardly break the bank will it?

It's all extra expense that will get added onto rents. Sorry Jeanette but you're obviously going to be pro because you need to repay your £3K outlay. HIPS and EPC are yet another of those "let's look like we're doing something when we're not really" schemes. The only people who will really benefit are those career changers who are going to be out and about with their tick boxes.

tbs624

and here's another one:

JeannettePrice wrote: »

Hi all

If you are thinking about selling your home, look around for a HIP provider. You can save between £100 and £150 if you buy from an independant supplier rather than who your estate agent or solicitor uses.

This is because the solicitor or estate agent will often add their handling fee and get the Energy Performance Certificate from a panel provider that also adds on a handling fee.

Try searching for HIPs in your area on the search engines.

Hope this helps.

Jeannette
Wirral

Personal business..........?.:undecided

PayDay

tbs624 wrote: »

and here's another one:

I think that is a bit unfair tbs624. Many people would not have known about this requirement and this site is for sharing information, is it not?

tbs624

PayDay wrote: »

I think that is a bit unfair tbs624. Many people would not have known about this requirement and this site is for sharing information, is it not?

You got a thank you by mistake- meant to hit the quote button:rotfl:

PayDay - you're welcome to your opinion, as I am to mine. Those who are LLs , and take what they do seriously, would be aware of these requirements already - the info has been in the public domain for quite a while, there is info on LandlordZone, on Government webpages, and the local and National LL Associations have been putting out this info for several months.You'd have to be a total amateur to not know about it. There will be more and more publicity about it for both LLs and Tenants as the time draws nearer but EPC providers are running businesses and they are trying to encourage as many people as possible to get theirs done forward of that date.

Yes, the site is for sharing info, but IMO when you have people using their full names, giving their location and providing a link to their business website rather than a personal webpage it maybe puts a different slant on the true reason for their post.

Bungarm2001

Thanks tbs624. Again you have put it into words far better than I can.

What the previous poster/DEA doesn't realise is that it's immaterial in the end how much (or how little :rolleyes: ) the cost of this totally unnecessary bit of added bureaucracy will be. Fact is, it won't make it any better for prospective tenants because the bad LL's will continue to ignore this and run the risks of fines, (and more than likely get away with it for eons) and the good LL's would have already done their homework and made their property energy efficient anyway.

As for the proposed cost and length of the validity of the certificate, how long before some underworked and overpaid gov. official decides to change that on nothing more than a whim? Also, what about council houses? Will the councils also be required to produce certs for their tenants??? I think I know the answer to that one.

ps Changed my mind about the cost being immaterial I've just done the figures and in our case, the cost will actually be considerable...

jimc_2

Bungarm2001 wrote: »

I've just done the figures and in our case, the cost will actually be considerable...

I am told that some larger landlords are considering hiring an EA (Energy Assessor this time - not Estate Agent) on temporary payroll to turn out the things by the dozen at a lower cost per assessment. If this could be done, it might be worthwhile groups of LLs getting together to have an assessor on tap for a while until their properties are all done.

Perhaps you might like to ask Jeanette for a 'job lot' quote?