EPC Northampton
Need an EPC in Northampton?
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We Are EPC Assessors covering your area
epcHome provides a local epc service in Northampton and surrounding areas.
If you need an EPC certificate for either rental, property sale, or for a remortgage, then we’re here to help.
The standard cost of an EPC in Northampton is £59
What Is An EPC? – Steph Explains
If you’ve not moved home in Northamptonshire in the last 10 years, or maybe you’ve been asked to produce an EPC report for rental then you can look at our information video clip that explains more about what an EPC is.
WHY USE US AS YOUR EPC PROVIDER?
- No complicated price variations of property types and rooms.
- No misleading “from” prices.
- No waiting for an Assessor to call you back.
- No filling in long complicated forms before you get a quote.
Areas we cover:
What is An EPC?
EPC is short for Energy Performance Certificate.
It’s an online document which rates your property from an A the highest to G the lowest.
It will also give energy improvement recomendations that could be made to the property that might help to reduce your energy bills.
Why You Need An EPC
The most typical reasons for requiring an Energy Performance Certificate is for anyone who is selling or renting a property.
This is because, by law, you have to give the incoming occupant a valid EPC.
However you may be asked to get an Energy Performance Certificate for some of these reasons..
• For a remortgage
• Making a claim for funding under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS)
• Getting grant funding through the Energy Company Obligation Scheme (ECO)
All the above examples refer to existing residential properties. If you have been requested by Northampton building control to produce an EPC in conjunction with recent building work, they will be looking for what’s called a SAP EPC.
This kind of EPC is produced along with SAP calculations to demonstrate that building work has met specific standards required by the building regulations.
If you’re unsure, simply give us a call for more guidance.
How To Get An EPC Done In Northampton
A Domestic Energy Assessors (DEA) has to undertake an assessment of the property and a visit is required to obtain the necessary data for the Energy Performance Certificate.
The energy assessor is qualified and must be a continuing member of an approved Government certification scheme.
Your energy assessor will take dimensions of the property and also collect information about the type of lighting, heating system, glazing and present insulation. An average size property takes around 20 and 30 minutes.
The information obtained is then input into approved government software which then generates the certificate which produces an EPC rating.
The Certificate will then be lodged on the national EPC register and you should receive it by email, typically in 2 to 3 days.
However, should you need to have your EPC urgently, for a small additional fee, we can produce an EPC for you on the same day of the visit. We call this an express EPC.
Your EPC is then valid for 10 years.
Booking your EPC in Northampton is easy:
- Click the BOOK ONLINE button below
- Select an available date and time slot
- Give us your name and the address requiring the EPC
- You pay on the day of the visit
- If you prefer you can always call us to book. Call free on 0800 046 7345
That’s it, your EPC is booked. You will receive an email confirmation and a text reminder a day before the visit.
Your EPC will be emailed to you in 2 or 3 days. If you order an Express EPC at the booking stage, you will receive it the same day of the visit.
You can cancel anytime within 24 hours of the visit.
Our aim is to provide you with a professional service.
How You Can Boost Your EPC Rating
Here we will give you some simple tips to ensure that your Energy Performance Certificate reflects your home in the best light.
These things will improve your EPC rating
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The data entered into the software is based on proof that the Assessor gathers during the visit. In most cases the Assessor can get almost all the information whilst going around the home.
What we should avoid is the Assessor putting into the software program the phrase “as built” for items which are needed where no information is obtained. If the term “as built” has to be used then the software program will default to the worst case scenario based on what would have been there when the property was built. This means that it lower the energy efficiency rating.
If you can provide documentary proof of any of these types of improvements then these can be shown on the Certificate and will improve the EPC rating.
• Any type of wall insulation External/Cavity/Internal– Any guarantees, or invoice from the contractor
• Solar Thermal, or Solar PV – An MCS certificate from installer.
• Sloping ceiling insulation/ floor insulation – receipt from installers showing thickness fitted.
• Roof extensions year it was built – completion certificate, dated architectural drawings.
• Double glazing improvements made to the majority of the property – Certificate from Fensa, or dated receipt from the contractors.
These make the biggest difference
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The 3 mains items that have the most significant impact on the epc rating are:
• The main source of fuel for heating the property
• The levels of insulation in the property.
• The heating system.
Main Source of Fuel
UK properties are generally heated by either of these fuel sources: gas, peak rate electric, off peak electric, oil, bulk or bottled LPG. So for instance a property or home heated by gas would cost somewhere in the region of 7.77 pence per kwh and the similar property or home which is heated by bottled LPG 36.24p per kwh. {*source 2023 Nottingham Energy Partnership.} So using a typically semi using around 12,000 kwh to heat the property, it would cost £932 to heat with gas in comparison to £4,348 for bottled LPG. Therefore running costs influences the EPC score. Higher running costs equates to lower epc ratings.
Levels Of Insulation
Good levels of insulation ensures that the demand on the heating system is kept down, and it also results in a more comfortable home with lower running costs, which equates to better epc ratings.
The Heating System
An efficient heating system with good controls such as room thermostat, thermostatic valves and programmer helps to keep energy bills down. This all contributes to an improvement in the energy efficiency rating and a better EPC score.
These make less difference
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Double glazing
Although upgrades to the double glazing does make a difference, the most significant difference is actually really achieved if you are improving from single glazing to doubled glazing. If you are modernising from pre 2002 double glazing, this will only show as a small increase in the epc rating of the property. With double glazing the perception is normally felt by the customer in terms of comfort from a decrease in draughts. As the EPC doesn’t take into account the condition of any specific item, this comfort gain is not measured.
Low Energy Lights
Again low energy lights do indeed help the Energy Performance Certificate rating because they are a low cost improvements that leads to reduced energy costs but nowhere near the same contribution as other energy saving measures such as insulation, heating and heating controls.
Northampton Landlord EPC Services
The regulations for landlords are forever increasing. For anybody who is a landlord, make sure that you don’t fall foul of the laws, as civil penalties of up to £5,000 could be issued.
For landlords in Northampton, the EPC Northampton requirements are particularly important to note; since April 2020, all rented properties in the area are required to have a valid EPC and meet Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES).
Take a look at our guidelines for quick information. We also offer reduced prices for a number of properties.
EPCs And Rental Properties
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Since April 2020, all rented properties need to have a valid Energy Performance Certificate and meet Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards.
Fines can be issued by the local authority for violation of this.
What Is The Minimum Rating For A Rental Property
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An EPC rates the property from an A, the highest, to a G the lowest.
To legally rent a property in Northampton, the energy rating must be at least an E.
The regulations that regulate this is called The Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards or (MEES) for short. For additional information on MEES visit the government website for landlord guidance.
If your property is an F or G epc rating, it cannot legally be let on a new rental. If there is an existing tenant in the property and the rating is lower than an E, then the landlord has got to do something to get the rating up to an E.
How To Find If You Have A Valid EPC
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The Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government have for the past 10 years kept a register of all EPCs. The register is available at www.epcregister.com. You should check here to find out if your properties have a valid EPC and determine that they meet at least the minimum E rating.
A recent report in the Telegraph taken from information on the register found out that around 250,000 investors are yet to conform to the new regulations. The information can be found here. Make sure you are not among them. As time passes, we expect more and more Councils to get up to speed with enforcements.
The rules, having said that, are not intended to be onerous. The first step to take is to get an EPC lodged on the register and should it be less than an E, to demonstrate you are taking or have taken steps to reach an E. Even if it doesn’t attain an E, there are specific exemptions that you may then be able to apply for. We can carry out an epc survey and provide expert recommendations on every aspect of MEES.
Here we will answer your most common questions asked about the EPC.
Which dwellings are exempt from needing an EPC?
- Places of worship.
- Temporary buildings that will be used for less than two years.
- Stand-alone buildings (of less than 50 m2 )
- Industrial sites and non-residential agricultural buildings that use little energy.
- Residential buildings that are used for less than 4 months of the year.
- Listed buildings.
Are You Able To Let A Property Without Having An Energy Performance Certificate?
No, you cannot let a property without a valid energy performance certificate.
Since April 2020 all rental properties must have a valid EPC registered on the EPC register. To legally rent a property the energy rating of the EPC has to be at least an “E”, or the property must have a valid exemption.
The EPC rates a property from A 100 (the most energy efficient) to G 0 ( the least energy efficient). An average UK property is a D60. Rental properties must be a minimum of an E rating. If it is not an E then the landlord will have to undertake some of the recommendations on the certificate to increase the epc rating. If an E rating can not be attained, then an exemption can be applied for by going to the Government website and applying for an exemption on the PRS register.
What is the penalty for not having an EPC
A fixed penalty charge of £200 can be issued for failure to comply in the following circumstances: on sale or rent the seller or landlord failed to make a valid domestic EPC available free of charge to the would-be buyer or tenant at the earliest opportunity.
You may also find that any insurance that you have on the property become null & void should you make a claim.
Can I fail an EPC?
The EPC is not a pass or fail. It simply shows the energy rating of the property.
Nevertheless, various 3rd parties may require the EPC have a specific score before they decide to proceed. An example would be a bank loaning funds against a rental property, might require that the EPC is at least an “E”.
Or a funder offering a Green Mortage requiring a C rating before they grant the funding.
What Does EPC E Mean?
The Energy Performance Certificate will rate your property either A,B,C,D,E,F, or G. An E rating is the legal minimum a property can be so as to rent out. It is also getting to be the standard required by banks when loaning funds against a property.
It’s not saying you won’t be able to obtain the money when it is below an E, although there are more likely to be extra conditions in the contract.
What Happens If An EPC Runs Out During A Tenancy?
It has to be renewed and you will need to arrange an epc survey. Under the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard, all rental properties must have a valid EPC of at least an E rating or higher.
All EPCs are lodged on a national register at epcregister.com. The EPC is good for a further 10 years.
It’s not saying you won’t be able to obtain the money when it is below an E, although there are more likely to be extra conditions in the contract.
Is An EPC A Legal Requirement?
Yes, an Energy Performance Certificate is a legal requirement for all rental properties and properties which are being sold as well as all newly built properties. Legally, the incoming occupant need to be provided with an EPC.
Can You Evict A Tenant Without An EPC?
If the tenancy began or was renewed after 1 October 2015, a landlord cannot evict with a section 21 notice (no fault eviction) if they have not provided the tenant with an Energy Performance Certficate. If an EPC is subsequently obtained, a time period of 8 weeks needs to pass before applying for a section 21 notice.
Along with the Energy Performance Certificate the tenant will have had to be also provided with a gas safety certificate and a copy of the government guide “How to rent”. The “How to Rent” guide can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/how-to-rent
Landlords are always advised to get correct legal advice to ensure all documents is given to the courts correctly.
Can You Market A Home With No EPC?
Yes a property can be marketed in Northampton without having an EPC but only subject to one having been planned to be carried out within seven days.
If after making all realistic attempts one can not be obtained within that period, then a further 21 days is permitted to acquire one.
Some people love Northampton, others don’t. We certainly think its a great to live and work and has many exciting things in the area. We aim to be the primary EPC company serving the neighbourhood.
We’ve been providing EPCs in Northampton since 2014 keeping costs down in the area. This has helped us to become one of the leading providers in the.
With well over 14,000 EPCs completed in Northampton we are pleased to be part of this vibrant community. We’d like to thank customers present and past in Northampton for using us.