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Fixed Price EPC – only £69

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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.

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.

What is An EPC?

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EPC refers to Energy Performance Certificate. It’s a 3 to 5 page report that rates the home from an A the best to G the lowest. It will provide suggestions about energy improvements that could be made in the home that might help to reduce your energy bills.

Why You Need One

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The most frequent reason for requiring an Energy Performance Certificate is If you are selling or renting a home. This is because, by law, you must give the incoming resident a valid Energy Performance. These are some of the other reasons you may be required to provide an EPC.

• 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 of the above illustrations refer to existing residential properties. If you have been requested by building control to produce an EPC in conjunction with recent building work, they will be 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 development work you might have undertaken. If you need a SAP EPC, then CLICK HERE. If you’re unsure, simply phone us for further advice.

How To Get One Done

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An Assessor must carry out a visit to the home to get the necessary information for the EPC. They are qualified and must be a continuing member of an approved Government certification scheme.

Your assessor will take dimensions of the home plus obtain information about the current lighting, home heating, glazing and existing insulation. It may take anywhere between 20 and 40 minutes, depending upon the complexity of the home..

The obtained information then input approved government software which creates the EPC. The Certificate will be lodged on the national EPC register and you will receive it by email typically in a couple of days. However, if you need your EPC quickly, for a modest additional charge, we can provide an EPC for you on the same day of the visit. We call this an express EPC.

That’s it, its all doneYour EPC is then valid for ten years

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.

How You Can Boost Your EPC Score

Here we will provide you with some basic tips to ensure that your EPC shows your home in the best light.

Image of an EPC energy rating

These will improve your EPC rating

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The data put into the software is based on evidence that the Assessor collects during the visit. In most cases the Assessor will get the majority of the information whilst going around the home.

What we want to avoid is the Assessor putting into the software program the phrase “as built” for items which are required where no proof is gathered. If the term “as built” has to be used then the software will default to the worst case scenario based upon what would have been there when the property was built. EPC rating.

Whenever you can supply documentary evidence of these kinds of improvements then these can be shown on the Certificate and will probably enhance the rating of your EPC.


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

• Solar PV or Solar Thermal – An MCS certificate from contractor.

• Sloping ceiling insulation/ floor insulation – receipt from installers showing thickness fitted.

• Loft conversions year it was built – building control sign off, dated architectural plans.

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

These make the biggest difference

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The three things that have the biggest 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 homes 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 instance a home heated by gas would cost you somewhere in the region of 4.64 pence per kwh and the exact same home heated by bottled LPG 23p per kwh. {*source 2019 Nottingham Energy Partnership.} So with a typically semi which uses in the region of 12,000 kwh to heat the property, it would cost you £696 to heat with gas as compared to £2,760 for bottled LPG.. Therefore running costs influences the Energy Performance rating rating. Higher costs equates to lower 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.

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
This one will come as a bit of a shock, but double glazing does not have as major an impact on the EPC as most people would imagine. Certainly not nearly as much as the heating, the insulation and the type of fuel used as mentioned before. However, where it can have a greater effect, is when the home is up-graded from single glazing to double glazing. If you are updating from pre 2002 double glazing, to current double glazing, this would only show as a small rise in the energy rating of the home.

With double glazing the perception is generally experienced by the customer in terms of comfort from a decrease in draughts. Unfortunately the EPC doesn’t consider the condition of any particular item, this comfort gain is not recorded.

 

Low Energy Lights
Again low energy lights does indeed help the Energy Performance Certificate since they are a low cost improvement that contributes to reduced energy costs but nowhere near the same contribution as heating, insulation, and heating controls.

Broughton Landlord EPC Services

The rules for landlords are forever increasing. For anyone who is a property owner, ensure that you don’t fall foul of the laws, as civil fees and penalties as high as £5,000 could be issued.

Have a look at our guidelines for quick information. We also provide reduced prices for several properties.

Letting agent handing over key

EPCs And Rental Properties

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From April 2020, all current rented properties should have a valid EPC. Prior to that date an EPC was only required on new rentals. Fines may be issued by the local authority for infringement of this.

What Is The Minimum Rating For A Rental Property

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An EPC rates the home from an A, the very best, to a G the lowest. To legally let a property, the energy rating must be a minimum of an E. The regulations that control this is called The Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard or (MEES) in short. For additional info on MEES check out the government website for landlord guidance.

If your property currently is an F or G 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 take steps 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 ten years maintained a register of all EPCs. This register is found at www.epcregister.com. You should check here to see if your rentals have a valid Certificate and determine that they meet at least the required E rating.

A recently available post in the Telegraph taken from information on the register found that around 250,000 landlords are yet to comply with the new rules. This article can be found here. Make sure you are not one of them. As time passes, we anticipate an increasing number of Local Authorities to get up to speed with enforcements.

These rules, nevertheless, are not intended to be onerous. The first step to take is to get an EPC lodged on the register and should it be lower than an E, to show that you are currently taking or have taken steps to get to an E. Even if it doesn’t achieve an E, there are certain 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.
Which Dwellings Are Exempt From Requiring An EPC?
  • Temporary buildings that will be used for less than two years.
  • Industrial sites and non-residential agricultural buildings that use little energy.
  • Listed buildings.
  • Residential buildings that are used for less than 4 months of the year.
  • Places of worship.
  • Stand-alone buildings (of less than 50 m2 )
  • Is It Possible To Let A Property Without Having An EPC?
    No. From April 2020 all rental homes must have a valid EPC recorded 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 efficient) to G 0 ( the least efficient). The rating of an typical UK property is a D60 Rental properties need to be at the least an E rating. If it is not an E then the property owner will have to carry out some of the recommendations on the EPC to lift the rating. If an E rating can not be achieved, 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?
    Homes rented out in the private market will be required to have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) with a minimum energy performance rating of ‘E’. It will be unlawful to rent out a dwelling which does not have a minimum E rating unless the property has an exemption.
    What Is Penalty For Not Having An EPC?
    A fixed penalty charge of £200 may be issued for failure to comply in the following instances: 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 An EPC Fail?
    No. The EPC is not a pass or fail. Even so, different 3rd parties may require the EPC achieve a specified rating before they decide to continue. An example would be a bank loaning 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 dwelling can be to be able to rent out. It is also getting to be the standard required by financial institutions when loaning funds against a home.

    It’s not saying you won’t be able to obtain the funds if it is below an E, but there will probably be extra clauses in the contract.

    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 will need to have a valid EPC of at least an E rating or over. All EPCs are lodged on a national register at epcregister.com. The EPC is good for a further ten years.
    Is An EPC A Legal Requirement?
    Indeed, an EPC is a legal requirement for all rental properties and homes that are for sale as well as all newly built properties. Legally, the incoming resident has to be provided with 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. A list is available 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 with a section 21 notice (no fault eviction) if they have not provided the tenant with an EPC. If the 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 all records is given to the courts correctly.

    Can You Market A Home With No EPC?
    Yes a property may be advertised without an EPC but only subject to one having actually been commissioned to be carried out within 7 days. If after making all reasonable attempts one can not be acquired within that timeframe, then a further 21 days is allowed to obtain one.
    It Is A Legal Requirement For Renting, To Have An EPC?
    Since April 2020, all properties for rental 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 has to be a minimum rating of an E, unless a valid exemption has been applied for.
    What Is The Price Of An EPC?
    An EPC typically costs between £50 – £120. This will depend on the size of property and location. Typically it is cheaper if going directly to a licensed Assessor as opposed to using a 3rd party for instance an Estate Agent or a marketing company.
    What’s wonderful about Broughton. A lot of interesting things beyond EPCs.
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    Serving The Broughton Area

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    0800 0467 345