EPC Broughton

by | May 10, 2020

Need an EPC in Broughton?

Fixed Price EPC – only £69

Call Free (0800) 0467 345
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We Are EPC Assessors covering the Broughton area

If you’re renting, selling, or applying for a re-mortgage, you’ll need an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) carried out by an approved Domestic Energy Assessor (DEA).

The typical price of an EPC in Broughton is £69.

CLICK HERE TO BOOK ONLINE

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.
We also cover these nearby areas: Victoria Park, Manor Park, Aylesbury, Stone, Upton, St Leonards, Berkhamsted, Chesham, Dunstable, Amersham

What is An EPC?

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An EPC is a legal report that gives recommendations on energy saving actions that can easily make a property inexpensive to run. EPC stands for Energy Performance Certificate. Very much the same as the energy rating seen on appliances, it will give the home a rating between an A (100) to a G (0). An average UK property is rated at a D60.

Why You Need One

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The most common reason for requiring an EPC is If you are selling or renting a property. The reason being, legally, you have to give the incoming occupant a valid Energy Performance. However you might be required to get an EPC for any of these reasons..

• For a remortgage
• Making a claim for funding under the Renewable Heat Incentive Scheme (RHI)
• Getting grant funding through the Energy Company Obligation Scheme (ECO)

All the above illustrations refer to existing residential properties. If you have been asked by building control to provide an EPC in conjunction with recent building work, they are looking for what’s called a SAP EPC. This sort of EPC is known as SAP EPC and is needed by building control to demonstrate compliance with building regulations for any recent construction work you have undertaken. Should you need a SAP EPC, then CLICK HERE. If you’re uncertain, just give us a call for further guidance.

How To Get One Done

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An EPC is done by a qualified and approved domestic energy assessor. The Assessor has to go to property to get the necessary information.

Your assessor will take dimensions of the home as well as obtain information about the existing lighting, heating, glazing and present insulation. It takes anywhere between 20 and 40 minutes, dependant upon the complexity of the home..

The details are then entered into approved government software which generates the EPC. The Energy Performance Certificate is then lodged on the national EPC register and you should receive it by email typically in a couple of days. However, if you need to have your EPC urgently, for a modest additional charge, we will provide an EPC for you on the same day of the visit. We call this an express EPC.

That’s it, its all completed. Your EPC is then valid for ten years

LANDLORDS - ARE YOU UP TO DATE?
Booking your EPC is easy:

  1. Click the BOOK ONLINE button below
  2. Select an available date and time slot
  3. Give us your name and the address requiring the EPC
  4. Pay securely online or pay on the day
  5. 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, you will receive it the same day of the visit.

You can cancel with a full refund if you cancel within 24 hours of the visit.

CLICK HERE TO BOOK ONLINE
Call Free 0800-0467-345

How You Can Improve Your EPC Score

Here we will give you some basic guidelines to ensure that your EPC reflects your property in the very best light.

Image of an EPC energy rating

These things will improve your EPC rating

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The information entered into the software program is based on proof that the Assessor collects during the visit. Typically your Assessor can get almost all of the information whilst going around the home.

What we need to avoid is the Assessor putting into the software program the term “as built” for items which are needed where no evidence is gathered. When the term “as built” has to be used then the program will default to the worst case scenario based on what would have been there when the property was constructed. EPC rating.

If you can provide documentary proof of these sorts of improvements then this can be shown on the EPC and will probably increase the rating of your EPC Certificate.


• Double glazing improvements to the majority of the property – Certificate from Fensa, or dated receipt from the installer.

• Any type of wall insulation External/Cavity/Internal– Any guarantees, or invoice from the contractor.

• Solar PV or Solar Thermal – MCS certificate from installer.

• Sloping ceiling insulation/ floor insulation – receipt from contractors showing thickness installed.

• Roof extensions year it was constructed – building control sign off, dated architectural plans.

These make the biggest difference

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The three items that have the main effect on the energy rating are:


• The levels of insulation in the property.
• The heating system.
• The main source of fuel for heating the property

Main Source of Fuel
UK properties are typically heated by either of these kinds of fuel sources: gas, peak rate electric, off peak electric, oil, bulk or bottled LPG. So for example a property heated by gas would cost you somewhere in the region of 4.64 pence per kwh and the very same property which is heated by bottled LPG 23p per kwh. {*source 2019 Nottingham Energy Partnership.} So using a typically semi-detached which uses around 12,000 kwh to heat the home, it would cost you £696 to heat by gas when compared with £2,760 for bottled LPG.. Therefore running costs impacts the Energy Performance rating rating. Higher expenses equals lower scores.

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.

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 a better rating on the EPC.

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 only really achieved if you are improving from single glazed to doubled glazed. If you are simply modernising from pre 2002 upvc double glazing, this will only show as a modest improvement in the energy rating of the home. With upvc double glazing the perception is typically sensed by the customer in terms of comfort from a reduction in draughts. Since the EPC doesn’t take into account the condition of any specific object, this kind of comfort gain is simply not measured.

 

Low Energy Lights
Again low energy lights does indeed help the EPC because they are an affordable improvement that contributes to reduced energy costs but nowhere near the same contribution as heating controls, heating system, and insulation.

Broughton Landlord EPC Services

The rules for property owners are forever increasing. If you are a landlord, be sure that you don’t fall foul of the regulations, as civil fees and penalties up to £5,000 may be given.

Look at our guidelines for quick information. We offer discounts for multiple properties.

Letting agent handing over key

EPCs And Rental Properties

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From April 2020, all existing rental properties must have a valid EPC. Before that date an EPC was only needed on new rentals. Penalties may be issued by the local authority for violation of this.

What Is The Minimum Rating For A Rental Property

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The Minimum Energy Efficiency Scheme (MEES) puts an onus on landlords to supply rented homes that meet a minimum standard of energy efficiency. An energy rating of at least an E much be attained on all rented properties If it is an F or a G rating, then the landlord will need to take steps to get to the minimum.

This is when the landlord needs to work closely with the Energy Assessor to work out affordable methods to reach the standards.

If the landlord has spent up to £3500 and the property still doesn’t achieve an E, then the landlord can apply for an exemption. We’re happy to provide guidance all the way.

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. This register can be found at www.epcregister.com. You can check here to see if your properties have a valid EPC and determine that they meet at least the required E rating.

A recently available report in the Telegraph taken from information on the register found out that around 250,000 investors are yet to conform to the new rules. The information is available here. Ensure you are not one of them. As time passes, we anticipate an increasing number of local authorities to get up to speed with enforcements.

The policies, having said that, are not intended to be onerous. The 1st step to take is to get an EPC lodged on the register and if it is lower than an E, to demonstrate that you are currently taking or have taken actions to reach an E. Even if it doesn’t reach an E, there are specific exemptions that you could then be able to apply for. We can provide expect guidance on every aspect of MEES.

SAP Calculations

If you require a SAP EPC for building control please CLICK HERE.

Here we will answer your most common questions asked about the EPC.
What Properties Are Exempt From Needing An EPC?
  • Places of worship.
  • Stand-alone buildings (of less than 50 m2 )
  • Residential buildings that are used for less than 4 months of the year.
  • Temporary buildings that will be used for less than two years.
  • Listed buildings.
  • Industrial sites and non-residential agricultural buildings that use little energy.
    • Are You Able To Let A Property Without Having An EPC?
    No. From April 2020 all rental homes must have a valid EPC registered on the EPC register. To legally rent a property the energy rating of the EPC must be at least an “E”, or the property must have a valid exemption.

    The EPC rates a property from A 100 (the most efficient) to G 0 ( the least efficient). The rating of an average UK property is a D60 Rental properties need to be at the least an E rating. If it is not an E then the landlord would need to undertake some of the recommendations on the EPC to improve the rating. If an E rating can not be reached, then an exemption can be applied for by visiting the Government website and applying for an exemption on the PRS register.

    What Is The Minimum EPC Rating To Let A Property?
    The minimum EPC rating for rental is an ‘E’. The EPC rates a property from A, the highest to G, the worst. Properties rated F or G, after April 2020, cannot legally be let. Energy Efficient upgrades will have to be made, or a valid exemption applied for.
    What Is Penalty For Not Having An EPC?
    A fixed penalty charge of £200 can be given for failure to comply in the following situations: on sale or rent the seller or landlord failed to make a valid domestic EPC available free of charge to the potential buyer or tenant at the earliest opportunity.
    Can You Fail An EPC?
    Simply no. The EPC is not a pass or fail. Nonetheless, different 3rd parties may require the EPC have a specific rating before they decide to proceed. One example might be a financial institution lending funds against a rental property, would require that the EPC is at least an “E”.
    What Does EPC E Mean?
    The EPC will rate the 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 baseline requested by banks when lending funds against a property.

    It’s not saying you won’t be able to obtain the money when it is below an E, however there will probably be extra conditions in the arrangement.

    What Happens If An EPC Runs Out During A Tenancy?
    It will have to be renewed Under the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard, all rental properties must have a valid EPC of at least an E rating or above. All EPCs are lodged on a national register at epcregister.com. The EPC is valid for a further 10 years.
    Is An EPC A Legal Requirement?
    Yes, an EPC is a legal requirement for all rental properties and homes that are for sale as well as all newly built properties. By law, the inbound occupant need to be given an EPC.
    Are All Listed Buildings Exempt From An EPC?
    All listed buildings are exempt from requiring an EPC. A listed building is one as being described in the database of Historic England as a listed building. This list can be found on the historic england website.
    Can You Evict A Tenant Without An EPC?
    If the tenancy started or was renewed after 1 October 2015, a landlord cannot evict using 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 period of 8 weeks needs to pass before applying for a section 21 notice.

    Along with the EPC the tenant will have had to be also provided with a gas safety certificate and also 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 that all documents is presented to the courts correctly.

    Could You Market A Property Without An EPC?
    Yes a property may be marketed without having an EPC but only subject to one having actually been commissioned to be carried out within seven days. If after making all reasonable attempts one can not be obtained within that period, then a further 21 days is allowed to acquire one.
    Is It A Legal Requirement For An EPC When Renting?
    From April 2020, all properties for rental will need to have a valid EPC on the EPC register. The EPC rates the energy efficiency of a home from A-G. For rental, the EPC must be a minimum rating of an E, unless a valid exemption has been applied for.
    How Much Is An EPC?
    An EPC typically costs between £50 – £120. This depends upon size of property and location. Typically it will be cheaper if going straight to an accredited Assessor as opposed to using a 3rd party such as an Estate Agent or a marketing company.
    We’ve been providing EPCs in Broughton in excess of 6 years and are delighted to be keeping costs down in the area. This has helped us to become one of the main providers in the region.
    What Customers Are Saying

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    Serving The Broughton Area

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    Call Free 0800-046-7345
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