Harlow EPC Assessors
One Simply Price – up to 5 bed only £55
our services
We Are EPC Assessors covering your area
Our company is a team of local Surveyors, that carry out EPCs in Harlow and nearby surrounding areas. As accredited Domestic Energy Assessors, we would be pleased to carry out your EPC whether it’s required for rental or perhaps for a house sale. Our standard price to do an EPC in Harlow is just £55 inclusive.
Exactly What Is An EPC? – Steph Clarifies Below.
If you’ve not moved home in the last 10 years, or maybe you’ve been recently required to produce an EPC report for rental then you can check out our information video 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.
What is An EPC?
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Why You Need One
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• 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 examples refer to existing residential properties. If you have been requested by building control to provide an EPC in conjunction with recent building work, they are looking for what’s called a SAP EPC. This type of EPC is produced along with SAP calculations to show that building work has met specific standards required by the building regulations. If you’re uncertain, simply give us a call for more advice.
How To Get One Done
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The assessor will take dimensions of the home plus gather details about the present lighting, heating, glazing and existing insulation. An average size home will take between 20 and 30 minutes..
The obtained information then put into approved government software which then generates the certificate. The EPC will then be lodged on the national EPC register and you will receive it by email typically in a couple of days. In the event you require it quickly, for a small additional charge, we will arrange for you to get it the same day.
That’s it, its all completed. Your EPC is then valid for 10 years.
- Click the BOOK ONLINE button below
- Select an available date and time slot
- Give us your name and the address requiring the EPC
- Pay securely online
- 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 To Boost Your EPC Rating
Here we will give you some basic tips to ensure that your EPC reflects your home in the very best light.
These will enhance your EPC rating
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The Assessor must take photographic or gather documentary information that is required for audit reasons. If no proof is gathered then the Assessor must enter the term “as built” into the software. In this case the software program will use what the property would have been built with based on it’s age.
Whenever you can provide documentary proof of any of these sorts of improvements then this can be shown on the Certificate and will likely help the rating of your EPC.
• 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.
• Any type of wall insulation External/Cavity/Internal– Any guarantees, or receipts from the installer
• Solar PV or Solar Thermal – An MCS certificate from installer.
• Floor insulation/ sloping ceiling insulation – receipt from installers showing thickness installed.
These make the biggest difference
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• 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 generally 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 house heated by gas would cost you somewhere in the region of 4.64 pence per kwh and the same house heated by bottled LPG 23p per kwh. {*source 2019 Nottingham Energy Partnership.} So with a typically semi-detached using around 12,000 kwh to heat the property, it would cost you £556 to heat with gas as compared to £2,760 for bottled LPG.. Therefore running costs influences the Energy Performance rating rating. Higher costs equals 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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Although improvements to the double glazing will make a difference, the biggest difference is actually really achieved when you are improving from single glazing to doubled glazing. If you are modernising from pre 2002 double glazing, it will only show as a small increase in the energy rating of the home. With double glazing the perception is generally felt by the customer in terms of cosiness from a decrease in draughts. Since the EPC doesn’t look at the condition of any specific item, this kind of comfort gain is simply not measured.
Low Energy Lights
Again low energy lighting does help the Energy Performance Certificate because they are an inexpensive improvement that makes a contribution to lower energy costs but nowhere near the same contribution as heating controls, heating system, and insulation.
Harlow Landlord EPC Services
The rules for property owners are forever increasing. For anybody who is a landlord, make sure that you don’t fall foul of the regulations, as civil fines of up to £5,000 could be issued.
Have a look at our guidelines for quick information. We also offer reductions for multiple properties.
EPCs And Rental Properties
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What Is The Minimum Rating For A Rental Property
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If your property is currently an F or G it cannot legally be let on a new rental. Should there be an existing tenant in the property and the rating is lower than an E, then the landlord has to take measures to get the rating up to an E.
How To Find If You Have A Valid EPC
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A recently available post in the Telegraph taken from information on the register discovered that around 250,000 investors are yet to comply with the new rules. This article is available here. Ensure you are not among them. Over time, we expect a lot more Councils to get up to speed with enforcements.
These rules, however, are not intended to be onerous. The initial 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 actions to reach an E. Even if it doesn’t reach an E, there are certain exemptions that you might then be able to apply for. We can give you 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 Properties Are Exempt From Needing An EPC?
Are You Able To Let A Property Without Having An EPC?
The answer is No. From 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 must be at least an “E”, or the property must have a valid exemption.
The EPC rates a property from A 100 (the best) to G 0 ( the least efficient). The rating of an average UK property is a D60 Rental properties should be a minimum of an E rating. If it is not an E then the landlord would have to carry out some of the recommendations on the EPC to increase the 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.
Is There A 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, from April 2020, cannot legally be let. Energy Efficient improvements will need 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 issued for failure to comply in the following circumstances: on sale or rent the owner 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?
Simply no. The EPC is not a pass or fail. Nonetheless, different 3rd parties may require the EPC achieve a specific rating before they choose to proceed. One example might be a financial institution loaning money against a rental property, will 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 baseline requested by financial institutions when loaning money against a home.
It’s not to say you won’t be able to obtain the funds when it is below an E, but there are more likely to be extra clauses in the contract.
What Happens If An EPC Runs Out During A Tenancy?
It would simply need to be renewed. Under the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard, all rental properties need to 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 will be good for a further 10 years.
Is An EPC A Legal Requirement?
Indeed, an EPC is a legal requirement for all rental properties and properties which are being sold as well as all newly built properties. Legally, the inbound resident has to be given an EPC.
Are All Listed Buildings Exempt From An EPC?
All listed properties are exempt from needing an EPC. A listed building is one as being described in the database of Historic England as a listed building. A list can be found at https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/
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 would need to pass before applying for a section 21 notice.
Besides the EPC the tenant would have had to be also provided with a gas safety certificate in addition to 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 documentation is given to the courts correctly.
Can A Property Be Marketed Without Having An EPC?
Yes a property may be advertised without an EPC but only subject to one having actually been booked to be carried out within 7 days. If after making all reasonable efforts one can not be done within that timeframe, then a further 21 days is permitted to obtain one.
It Is A Legal Requirement For Renting, To Have An EPC?
From April 2020, all dwellings 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.
Just How Much Does An Energy Performance Certficate Cost
The price of an EPC is typically in the range of £50 – £120. This depends on size of property and location. Usually it will be cheaper if going straight to a licensed Assessor instead of via a third party for instance an Estate Agent or a marketing company.
Enjoy it or loath it Harlow is really an exciting place to live and work. Personally, we love it and are happy to be one of the leading EPC service providers in the area