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Original poster

Energy Performance Certificate - how to improve our rating

13 replies

Kotare · 27/04/2018 23:59

I've just had an email from our letting agent to tell us we need to improve the energy performance of our property under new rules for rentals.

We've just failed - by 2 points - and some of the information on our assessment is wrong. Most importantly we are listed as not having loft insulation as they did not access the loft, when this is there.

I do want our tenants to be comfortable though. Can anyone give me rough costs on floor, wall and loft insulation? Its a bog standard bay front terrace in the south east.

Any other advice on EPC's?

OP posts:

specialsubject · 28/04/2018 11:06

this is the new mees standar d and there have been years of warning! As your property will be f or below, unless the assessor really had his eyes shut( not unknown) you will have a lot of work to do.

get it reassessed, but you may be looking at selling when your tenant leaves or in 2020.

Hello007 · 28/04/2018 21:25

80% of house should be energy saving light this will slight difference...

Original poster

Kotare · 29/04/2018 22:19

Thanks all. I've looked at a few of the EPC's for our street and our house does do badly.

I've booked quotes on insulation and hope that some of the things we've already done - including a new boiler - will give us at least an E. We've spent a bomb on the house recently as the last tenants trashed it so it is just bad timing. We won't be selling - this was our home and its a great house to live in if we return to the UK.

I think we suffer from having the original sash single glazed windows. We've always wanted to keep them as the old wood is such good quality but will have to think about replacing them next year.

OP posts:

specialsubject · 29/04/2018 22:38

a new boiler may help even if it doesnt actually , epc is a really crap model. but be aware that if you cant sort it, no new tenants.

make sure you have malicious damage, legal expenses and rent guarantee cover and an agent that goes round a month in and then six monthly. social media stalk prospective tenants and get refs from last landlord but one.

Furano · 29/04/2018 23:31

Keeping original sash single glazed windows? No one wants to live in a house with single glazing!

You can get very nice sash double glazing now. Or since it’s a rental and as long as most other houses on the street and price bracket have UPVC just do that.

MonumentVal · 29/04/2018 23:36

Secondary glazing is excellent and much cheaper than double-glazed wooden sashes. It really will pay for itself in a few years.

EspressoButler · 29/04/2018 23:42

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

scaryteacher · 30/04/2018 11:41

Furano Keeping original sash single glazed windows? No one wants to live in a house with single glazing! Afraid to disappoint you, but we currently rent a 1750s house with single glazing. Thermal curtains and draught excluders help greatly.

I won't ever get the chance to live somewhere like this again; it's part of the estate of the local kasteel (Belgian castle), and I'd give me eye teeth to be able to take this house back to the UK with me when we move home. Single glazing is a small price to pay for brick barrel arched vaulted ceiling in the sitting room, study and hall, and waking up under a beamed ceiling every morning.

scaryteacher · 30/04/2018 11:45

OP we had an EPC done on our house prior to letting. Amongst the recommendations were a new condensing boiler (despite the fact that my brand new range which does the CH, HW and cooking) was a month old; cavity wall insulation on an 1830s stone walled house, so no cavities (duh), and a refusal to acknowledge the insulation as we couldn't provide receipts, having done it in the 90s (no EPCs then). Had had some wall insulation done, but because it had been done by the local builder, even though I had photos, it couyldn't be counted, as it wasn't by a recognised firm for EPC purposes. The whole thing is a complete racket imo.

Original poster

Kotare · 30/04/2018 21:58

I live in a single glazed house. The windows in our old home are much better than the ones we have! The old, well seasoned wood is so much better than anything you'd get these days.

I do agree that making homes more energy efficient is a good thing. But the EPC system doesn't seem to be that great. If the assessor doesn't look in the loft then it won't matter how much insulation we install!

OP posts:

scaryteacher · 30/04/2018 22:17

Our previous rental in Belgium had a very high rated EPC. I couldn't breathe there - it was impossible to cool the place down in summer, and in winter I felt cold. In this one with the single glazing, you can feel the air change and I am sleeping better here. Mind you, I am used to older houses, so that may be why I am more comfortable here.

specialsubject · 30/04/2018 22:18

my rental is rated b, and is a warm house with a modern efficent boiler, double glazing etc. the report suggested adding a wind turbin e and solar panels, and that the pay off period would be 200 years.

neither have been fitted....

its a great idea but the model must have been written by the tsb software team. and that is with an assessor who actually look ed.

ex cuse spaces, mn cant code either.

IbbleObbleOut · 01/05/2018 21:40

Pm'ed you OP

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