EPC Horley

by | May 10, 2020

Need an EPC in Horley?

Fixed Price EPC – only £69

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We Are EPC Assessors covering the Horley 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 Horley 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: Banbury, Broughton, Westbury, Kidlington, Thornton, Duston, Queens Park, Oxford, Forest Hill, Stonebridge

What is An EPC?

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EPC stands for Energy Performance Certificate. It’s a 3 to 5 page document that rates the home from an A the best to G the lowest. It will also provide advice on energy improvements which can be made on the home that could help to reduce your energy bills.

Why You Need One

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The most common reason for requiring an EPC is If you are selling or renting a home. It is because, by law, you will need to give the incoming resident a valid EPC. However you might be asked 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 of 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 will be looking for what’s called a SAP EPC. This kind of EPC is produced in addition to SAP calculations to demonstrate that building work has met specific standards required by the building regulations. If you’re not certain, just give us a call for more advice.

How To Get One Done

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An Assessor must undertake a visit to the home to obtain the necessary data for the EPC. They are qualified and must be a continuing member of an approved Government certification scheme.

The Assessor will take dimensions of the home as well as gather details about the current lighting, home heating, glazing and existing insulation. An average size home usually takes between 20 and 30 minutes..

The obtained information then entered into approved government software which then produces the certificate. 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 small 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 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

Tips On How To Improve Your EPC Rating

Here we will provide you with some easy guidelines so 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 is based on evidence that the Assessor collects during the visit. In most cases your Assessor will get almost all the information whilst going around the home.

What we want to avoid is the Assessor putting into the software program the term “as built” for items that will be required where no information is obtained. When the term “as built” must be used then the software 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 supply documentary proof of these types of improvements to the property then this can be shown on the EPC and will probably enhance 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 Cavity/Internal/External– Any guarantees, or invoice from the installer.

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

• Floor insulation/ sloping ceiling insulation – receipt from installers showing thickness fitted.

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

These make the biggest difference

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The 3 mains items that have the most significant impact on the energy 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 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 home heated by gas would cost you around 4.64 pence per kwh and the similar home heated by bottled LPG 23p per kwh. {*source 2019 Nottingham Energy Partnership.} So with a typically semi-detached using in the region of 12,000 kwh to heat the property, it would cost you £696 to heat with gas in comparison to £2,760 for bottled LPG.. Therefore running costs influences the EPC rating. Higher costs equates to 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 improvements to the double glazing will make a difference, the biggest increase is actually really achieved if you are upgrading from single glazing to doubled glazing. If you are upgrading from pre 2002 double glazing, it will only show as a small improvement in the energy rating of the home. With double glazing the perception is typically sensed 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 EPC because they are an inexpensive improvement that leads to cheaper energy costs but nowhere near the same contribution as insulation, heating and heating controls.

Horley Landlord EPC Services

The rules for property owners are forever increasing. For anybody who is a property owner, ensure that you don’t fall foul of the regulations, as civil fines as much as £5,000 could be issued.

Have a 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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As From April 2020, all existing rental properties need to have a valid EPC. Before that date an EPC was only necessary on new rentals. Penalties and fees can 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 offer rented homes that meet a minimum standard of energy efficiency. An energy rating of no less than an E much be attained on all rented properties If it is an F or a G rating, then the landlord must take steps to get to the minimum.

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

If the landlord has expended up to £3500 and the property still doesn’t achieve an E, then the landlord can apply for an exemption. We’re happy to offer 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 last 10 years managed a register of all Energy Performance Certificates. The register is found at www.epcregister.com. You can check here to see if your rentals have a valid EPC and see that they meet at least the minimum E rating.

A recent post in the Telegraph taken from information on the register found that around 250,000 landlords are yet to conform to the new rules. The article is available here. Ensure you are not among them. As time goes by, we anticipate more and more Councils to get up to speed with enforcements.

The policies, having said that, are not intended to be onerous. The initial 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 attain 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 give you expect guidance on all aspects 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 Do Not Require An EPC?
  • Temporary buildings that will be used for less than two years.
  • Stand-alone buildings (of less than 50 m2 )
  • Places of worship.
  • 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 EPC?
    The answer is 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 has to 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 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 property owner will need to carry out some of the recommendations on the EPC to raise the rating. If an E rating can not be attained, 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 sector 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 The Fine For Not Having An EPC?
    A fixed penalty charge of £200 can be issued for failure to comply in the following instances: on sale or rent the owner or landlord failed to make a valid domestic EPC available free of charge to the future buyer or tenant at the earliest opportunity.
    Can You Fail An EPC?
    Simply no. The EPC is not a pass or fail. However, various 3rd parties may require the EPC achieve a specific rating before they decide to continue. An example would be a financial institution lending funds against a rental property, might require 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 in order to rent out. It is also getting to be the standard required by financial institutions when lending funds against a home.

    It’s not to say you won’t be able to obtain the funds when it is below an E, however there will probably be extra conditions 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 must 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 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 which are being sold as well as all newly built properties. By law, the incoming resident has to be given an EPC.
    Are All Listed Buildings Exempt From An EPC?
    All listed properties are exempt from requiring an EPC. A listed building is one as being identified in the database of Historic England as a listed building. This list is available on the historic england website.
    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 given the tenant an Energy Performance Certficate. If the EPC is subsequently obtained, a time period of 8 weeks needs to pass before applying for a section 21 notice.

    In addition to the EPC the tenant would 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 proper legal advice to ensure all documentation is given to the courts correctly.

    Can You Market A Home With No EPC?
    Yes a property can be advertised without an EPC but only subject to one having been commissioned to be done within 7 days. If after making all reasonable efforts one can not be obtained within that period, then a further 21 days is allowed to acquire one.
    It Is A Legal Requirement For Renting, To Have An EPC?
    Since April 2020, all properties for rental must 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.
    How Much Is An EPC?
    An EPC typically costs between £50 – £120. This will depend on the size of property and location. Usually it is cheaper if going straight to a certified Assessor rather than through a 3rd party for instance an Estate Agent or a marketing company.
    We’ve been providing EPCs in Horley for more than 6 years and are pleased to be keeping costs down in the area. This has really helped us to become one of the leading suppliers in the area.
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    Serving The Horley Area

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    Call Free 0800-046-7345
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