EPC query

[IfIGoThereWillBeTrouble]

I bought my house before EPCs were a thing and I’m planning to put it on the market in the next few months and I know I will need to get an EPC.

My house is quite well insulated, all the lights are LED and the double glazing was installed in 2009/10. However……. it doesn’t have central heating.

My house isn’t a quaint 18th century stone cottage, it’s a 1980s matchbox on a big estate. It just wasn’t built with central heating.

I have electric panel heaters which have timers. They are plug-in models but are mounted on brackets on the walls rather than free standing. There is a gas heater in the lounge, but it doesn’t have a timer - you have to push a button and turn a knob to switch it on. I tend not to use it as I don’t like to risk having it on when I’m not at home.

I assume my lack of central heating will give a really poor rating when I get the EPC. The electric panel heaters aren’t cheap to run - does anyone know if it would give a better result for the EPC if I were to unplug and remove the heaters?

If you unplug heaters, how do you expect them to assess EPC for heating? 😂 I don’t think it is normal to assume that the house is unheated these days. They’ll simply factor in electric heaters which are very expensive too.

Does it have potential to be higher EPC or central heating cannot be installed at all?

I don't think unplugging the heaters will make any difference OP. Do the heaters just have timers or is there a way to regulate the temperature in each room?
How do you heat your hot water? That gets taken into account too.
Does your property have cavity wall insulation? That improves the EPC rating.

Thanks for your replies.

The heaters do have timers. They gave those little spikey things around a circle that you push in or out depending on whether you want it on or off. You turn the heat dial from 0 to 6 (as opposed to setting a temperature in degrees) and the heater comes on when the temperature is below that level, assuming you’ve set the timer to come on at that time.

The house does have cavity wall insulation. When I first moved in, I had a company come out to look at the walls to see if I could have cavity wall insulation, and they said it was already in place.

Water is heated by electric immersion heater. I have it on a timer to come on for 1/2 hour twice a day.

The loft had a lot of insulation but the insulation was boarded over, and the boards were then screwed down - I’m guessing that will be a problem as the energy surveyor won’t be able to assess the loft insulation. The loft hatch has got insulation on it.

No option to install central heating unfortunately.

Our house was a "G" rating when we bought it and we factored this into our offer. Any potential Buyers will more than likely do the same and it us something you can discuss with your Estate Agent when you put your house on the market.
A low rating might be a problem as it may deter BTL investors (property currently needs to be "E" rating or above to rent out and will need to be "C" rated in the future) but otherwise a low rating will not prevent you selling your house.
Incidentally, I would arrange the EPC myself, easy to do and cheaper than an Estate Agent will charge to arrange.