Need an EPC in Slough?

Fixed Price EPC – only £69

EPC

our services

We Are EPC Assessors covering the Slough 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 Slough 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?

More Info
EPC stands for Energy Performance Certificate. It’s a 3 to 5 page report which rates the home from an A the best to G the worst. It will provide recommendations on energy improvements which might be made on the property that might help to reduce your energy bills.

Why You Need One

More Info
The most typical reason for needing an EPC is for anyone who is selling or renting a property. This is because, legally, you must give the incoming occupant a valid EPC. These are among the other reasons you could 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 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 kind of EPC is known as SAP EPC and is required by building control to demonstrate compliance with building regulations for any recent development work you might have undertaken. In case you need a SAP EPC, then CLICK HERE. If you’re unsure, simply contact us for further advice.

How To Get One Done

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

The Assessor will take dimensions of the home as well as gather information about the existing lighting, home heating, glazing and current insulation. A normal size property will take around 20 and 30 minutesto do..

The obtained information then input approved government software which produces the certificate. The EPC Certificate will then be lodged on the national EPC register and you should receive it by email typically in 2 to 3 days. However, should you need your EPC urgently, for a modest additional fee, 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 completedYour 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.

Ways To Improve Your EPC Score

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

Image of an EPC energy rating

These will improve your EPC score

More Info
The information put into the software is based on evidence that the Assessor collects during the visit. Typically your Assessor will get almost all of the information whilst going around the home.

The Assessor must take photographic or gather documentary evidence that is needed for audit reasons. If no evidence is obtained then the Assessor must enter the term “as built” into the software program. In such a case the software will use what the property would have been built with based on it’s age.

Whenever you can supply documentary evidence of these sorts of improvements to the property then these can be shown on the Certificate and will probably improve the rating of your EPC.


• Any type of wall insulation Cavity/Internal/External– {guarantee, or receipt from installer.}

• 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 architects plans.

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

These make the biggest difference

More Info
The 3 mains things that have the biggest effect on the energy rating are:


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

Main Source of Fuel
UK properties are generally heated by either of these 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 around 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-detached using around 12,000 kwh to heat the property, it would cost you £696 to heat with gas when compared to £2,760 for bottled LPG.. Therefore running costs affects the Energy Performance rating score. 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

More Info
Double glazing
Although upgrades to the double glazing does make a difference, the greatest increase is only really achieved if you are improving from single glazed to doubled glazed. If you are simply modernising from pre 2002 double glazing, it will only show as a modest increase in the energy rating of the property. With double glazing the perception is typically experienced by the customer in terms of cosiness from a reduction in draughts. Because the EPC doesn’t consider the condition of any specific object, this kind of comfort gain is not measured.

 

Low Energy Lights
Again low energy lighting does help the EPC because they are an inexpensive improvement that leads to lower energy costs but nowhere near the same contribution as heating, insulation, and heating controls.

Slough Landlord EPC Services

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

Take a look at our guidelines for quick information. We also provide reduced prices for multiple properties.

Letting agent handing over key

EPCs And Rental Properties

More Info
From April 2020, all existing rental properties should have a valid EPC. Prior to that date an EPC 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

More Info
An EPC rates the home from an A, the very best, to a G the lowest. To legally rent a property, the energy rating need to be a minimum of an E. The policies that regulate this is called The Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard or (MEES) in short. For additional information on MEES go to 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

More Info
The Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government have for the past 10 years maintained a register of all EPCs. The register is found at www.epcregister.com. You can check here to see if your properties have a valid Certificate and see that they meet at least the minimum E rating.

A recent post in the Telegraph taken from information on the register discovered that around 250,000 investors are yet to conform to the new rules. The article is available here. Make sure you are not one of them. As time passes, we anticipate a growing number of Local Authorities to get up to speed with enforcements.

The policies, having said that, are not intended to be onerous. The first step to take is to get an EPC lodged on the register and if it is less than an E, to show that you are 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 provide 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.
What Dwellings Are Exempt From Needing An EPC?
  • Stand-alone buildings (of less than 50 m2 )
  • Places of worship.
  • Residential buildings that are used for less than 4 months of the year.
  • Temporary buildings that will be used for less than two years.
  • Industrial sites and non-residential agricultural buildings that use little energy.
  • Listed buildings.
  • Is It Possible To Let A Property Without Having An EPC?
    The answer is 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 most efficient) to G 0 ( the least efficient). An average UK property is a D60. Rental properties should be at least an E rating. If it is not an E then the landlord will need to carry out some of the recommendations on the EPC to increase the rating. If an E rating cannot 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?
    Properties rented out in the private sector will be required to possess an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) with a minimum energy performance rating of ‘E’. It will be illegal 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 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 An EPC Fail?
    No. The EPC is not a pass or fail. Nonetheless, different 3rd parties may require the EPC have a certain score before they choose to proceed. One example would be a financial institution loaning money against a rental property, might require the EPC is at least an “E”.
    What Does EPC E Mean?
    The EPC will rate your property either A,B,C,D,E,F, or G. An E rating is the legal minimum a dwelling can be so as to rent out. It is also getting to be the baseline requested by banks when loaning money against a property.

    It’s not saying you won’t be able to obtain the money if it is below an E, but there are more likely to be extra conditions in the arrangement.

    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 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 10 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 inbound occupant has to be provided with 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 located 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 given the tenant an Energy Performance Certficate. If the EPC is subsequently obtained, a period of 8 weeks has to pass before applying for a section 21 notice.

    Aside from the EPC the tenant will have had to be also provided with a gas safety certificate and 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 records is given to the courts correctly.

    Can A Property Be Marketed Without Having An EPC?
    Yes a property can be marketed without an EPC subject to one having been requested to be carried out within 7 days. If after making all realistic efforts one cannot be done within that period, then a further 21 days is permitted to acquire one.
    Is It A Legal Requirement For An EPC When Renting?
    From April 2020, all properties for rental must have a valid EPC on the EPC register. The EPC rates the energy efficiency of a property 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 is dependent upon size of property and location. Typically it is cheaper if going straight to a certified Assessor as opposed to using a third party like an Estate Agent or a marketing company.
    We’d want to thanks customers present and past in Slough for making use of us to be there provider. It’s a fantastic place to live and work.
    What Customers Are Saying

    Moving Home, Letting A Property, Local Estate Agents, We’re Here To Help

    Serving The Slough Area

    Contact

    EPCHOME WEBSITE

    OWNED BY ENERGYSMART BEDFORD

    Call Us

    0800 0467 345