EPC of G, potential G. What on earth does that mean?

[Moomin12345]

So I've found a house I really like but it has EPC rating of G and supposedly it can't be improved even slightly. They only show the rating but not the full report on the website. What could be causing this and how likely is this to be correct? Any similar experiences? The house has large windows but they're double glazed.

Is it listed or in a conservation area? Sounds as if there must be a reason you cant improve the rating. You could put a link on here so we can see (being nosey!)

drafty cold hrllhole with leaky roof?

EPCs are quite often done on the cheap and incorrectly FYI.

DG should bump it up a bit. It might be only partial DG or not true DG, just secondary glazing.

Yer house is freezing or your bills are through the roof...or both. And there's no way to improve this.

You can find the full report online
www.epcregister.com/reportSearchAddressByPostcode.html

Does it say why it can't be improved, G does seem low.

Things that do improve the score (I think) are things like radiator valves (so you can control individual radiators), insulation (loft and cavity wall), would anything like that be possible because they are the most obvious ones.

I wonder how old it is, and what it is made of.

Solid stone walls, perhaps?

Timber frame and plasterboard?

As a long-term tenant I know this...

From the 1st April 2018 there will be a requirement for any properties rented out in the private rented sector to normally have a minimum energy performance rating of E on an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). The regulations will come into force for new lets and renewals of tenancies with effect from 1st April 2018 and for all existing tenancies on 1st April 2020. It will be unlawful to rent a property which breaches the requirement for a minimum E rating, unless there is an applicable exemption.

I know you're referring to a house to buy but the above suggests to me an EPC Rating of a G really isn't good news.

Thanks everyone for replies! this is very annoying as the house seems otherwise perfect. Always a fly in the champagne! The fact that it supposedly can't be improved is highly intriguing. The house is around 100 years old, the one next door has an EPC score of D (almost identical property) and it still could be improved. I'm going to ask the estate agent for the full report tomorrow. Checked the online register but it wasn't there. I'll let you know what they say.

Even my 400 year old cottage has an F and potential to be a D. Not that it does as you actually couldn't do most of the improvements suggested on such an old house..my last house was 1890 and a D/C so I'm.not sure how a 100 year old house can be so hopeless. Good luck.

you mention large windows.

Even double or triple glazed windows have nowhere near the insulation of a loft (with maybe 250mm of inulation) or a wall (with maybe a layer of brick, 60mm of insulation, and a layer of lightweight block.

Big windows lose a lot of heat. Just try heating a conservatory in winter.

We rented a house with a decent EPC rating (old house but had been refurbished). Was the coldest place I’ve ever lived, we’d keep our coats on until we went to bed, even with the heating on from 4pm.

That’s when I realised that all the “mod cons” (new boiler, radiator valves) didn’t fix the fact it had draughts everywhere and was on top of an exposed hill. I guess my point is that a good EPC doesn’t necessarily mean a good property, so perhaps a bad one isn’t a total disaster if you can find out why (eg no radiator valves is easily remedied).

If an epc has been lodged - ie you have been told its a g then it must be on the register? It will appear immediately, So that is extremely strange!

Ok, basically EPC hadn't been done yet, so they put the lowest possible score. Not sure if assuming the worst is a legal requirement, that would make some sense. Lost the house in a bidding war tho. I offered the full asking price and I was swiftly outbid by a cash buyer. Quick and painful. House hunting is a bloody nightmare.