EPC Huntingdon

by | May 10, 2020

Need an EPC in Huntingdon?

Fixed Price EPC – only £69

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We Are EPC Assessors covering the Huntingdon 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 Huntingdon 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: Broughton, Hilton, St Ives, Upton, St Neots, East End, Colne, East End, Stratford, Cambridge

What is An EPC?

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An EPC is a legal report that provides recommendations on energy saving measures that can make a property inexpensive to run. EPC stands for Energy Performance Certificate. Much the same as the energy rating found on home appliances, it will give the home a rating between an A (100) to a G (0). A typical UK residence is rated at a D60.

Why You Need One

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The most typical reason for needing an EPC is for anyone who is selling or renting a property. The reason being, legally, you must give the incoming occupant a valid EPC. However you might be asked to get an EPC for some 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 requested 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 sort of EPC is known as SAP EPC and is necessary for building control to show compliance with building regulations for any recent construction work you have undertaken. In case you need a SAP EPC, then CLICK HERE. If you’re uncertain, simply phone us for further advice.

How To Get One Done

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An Assessor must undertake a visit to the property to get the necessary information for the EPC. They are certified and must be a continuing member of an approved Government accreditation scheme.

Your Assessor will take dimensions of the property as well as collect information regarding the current lighting, home heating, glazing and present insulation. It may take anywhere between 20 and 40 minutes, dependant upon the complexity of the home..

The information is then input approved government software which creates the EPC. The EPC 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 to have your EPC quickly, for a modest additional charge, we will produce an EPC for you on the same day of the visit. We call this an express EPC.

That’s it, its all done. Your EPC is then valid for 10 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 Rating

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

Image of an EPC energy rating

These things 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 can get almost all of the information whilst going around the property.

Your Assessor must take photographic or gather documentary information that is required for audit reasons. If no evidence is gathered then the Assessor has to enter the term “as built” in to the software program. In such a case the program will use what the property would have been built with determined by it’s age.

Whenever you can provide documentary evidence of any of these sorts of improvements then this can be shown on the Certificate and is likely to help the rating of your EPC Certificate.

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

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

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

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

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

These make the biggest difference

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The three things that have the main effect 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 instance a property or home heated by gas would cost you around 4.64 pence per kwh and the same property or home which is heated by bottled LPG 23p per kwh. {*source 2019 Nottingham Energy Partnership.} So using a typically semi-detached which uses in the region of 12,000 kwh to heat the property, it would cost you £696 to heat with gas 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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Double glazing
Although upgrades to the double glazing does make a difference, the greatest difference is only really achieved when upgrading from single glazing to doubled glazing. If you are modernising from pre 2002 upvc double glazing, this will only show as a modest rise in the energy rating of the home. With upvc double glazing the perception is generally experienced by the customer in terms of comfort from a decrease in draughts. As the EPC doesn’t consider the condition of any specific item, this kind of comfort gain is just not measured.

 

Low Energy Lights
Again low energy lighting does indeed help the EPC as they are a low cost improvement that contributes to lower energy costs but nowhere near the same contribution as heating, insulation, and heating controls.

Huntingdon Landlord EPC Services

The rules for landlords are forever increasing. For anyone who is a property owner, make certain you don’t fall foul of the regulations, as civil penalty charges as high as £5,000 can be given.

Check out our guidelines for quick information. We provide reductions for multiple properties.

Letting agent handing over key

EPCs And Rental Properties

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As From April 2020, all existing rental properties should have a valid EPC. Before that date an Energy Performance Certificate was only needed on new rentals. Penalties 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 supply rented homes that meet a minimum standard of energy efficiency. An energy rating of at least an E much be reached 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 must work closely with the Energy Assessor to work out affordable ways to achieve the standards.

When the landlord has put in 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 advice 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 available at www.epcregister.com. You should check here to see if your properties have a valid Certificate and see 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 investors are yet to conform to the new rules. The information is available here. Make sure you are not one of them. Over time, we expect an increasing number of local authorities to get up to speed with enforcements.

These policies, nevertheless, are not intended to be onerous. The first step to take is to get an EPC lodged on the register and if it is below an E, to demonstrate that you are taking or have taken steps to reach 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 give you expect recommendations 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 Requiring An EPC?
  • Industrial sites and non-residential agricultural buildings that use little energy.
  • Residential buildings that are used for less than 4 months of the year.
  • Places of worship.
  • Temporary buildings that will be used for less than two years.
  • Stand-alone buildings (of less than 50 m2 )
  • Listed buildings.
    • Are You Able To Let A Property Without An EPC?
    No. From April 2020 all rental homes need to have a valid EPC recorded 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). An average UK property is a D60. Rental properties need to be a minimum of an E rating. If it is not an E then the property owner would have to undertake some of the recommendations on the EPC to increase the rating. If an E rating can not be achieved, 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 Minimum EPC Rating To Let A Property?
    Properties 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 property 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 given for failure to comply in the following instances: on sale or rent the vendor or landlord failed to make a valid domestic EPC available free of charge to the would-be buyer or tenant at the earliest opportunity.
    Can An EPC Fail?
    Simply no. The EPC is not a pass or fail. However, different 3rd parties may require the EPC achieve a specified rating before they decide to continue. An example would be a financial institution loaning funds against a rental property, might 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 in order to rent out. Also, it is becoming the standard requested by banks when loaning funds against a property.

    It’s not to say you won’t be able to obtain the money if 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 will 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 above. 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?
    Yes, an EPC is a legal requirement for all rental properties and homes that are being sold as well as all newly built properties. Legally, the incoming occupant must 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. The 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 EPC. If the EPC is subsequently obtained, a period of 8 weeks would need 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 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 documents is presented to the courts correctly.

    Could You Market A Property With No EPC?
    Yes a property can be advertised without having an EPC but only subject to one having actually been planned to be done within seven days. If after making all realistic efforts one can not be done within that period, then a further 21 days is permitted to get one.
    Is An EPC A Legal Requirement When Renting?
    Since April 2020, all dwellings 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 must be a minimum rating of an E, unless a valid exemption has been applied for.
    How Much Is An EPC?
    The cost of an EPC is typically in the range of £50 – £120. This depends on size of property and location. Typically it will be cheaper if going directly to an approved Assessor rather than using a 3rd party like an Estate Agent or a marketing company.
    Many people love Huntingdon, other people don’t. We certainly think its great. It’s an incredible location to live and work and has lots of fascinating things in the area. We endeavor to be the top rated EPC company serving the community.
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    Serving The Huntingdon Area

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