EPC Upton

by | May 10, 2020

Need an EPC in Upton?

Fixed Price EPC – only £69

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

What is An EPC?

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

Why You Need One

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{There are various reasons that you may be asked to provide an EPC. The most common of these are if you are selling a property or if you are renting a property. It is a legal requirement that an EPC is given to the other party.}.

• 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 called a SAP EPC and is needed by building control to show compliance with building regulations for any recent construction work you have undertaken. In case you require a SAP EPC, then CLICK HERE. If you’re unsure, just give us a call for more advice.

How To Get One Done

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An EPC is carried out by a qualified and approved domestic energy assessor. The Assessor must go to property to obtain the necessary information.

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

The obtained information then input approved government software which then generates the EPC. The Energy Performance Certificate will be lodged on the national EPC register and you should receive it by email typically in 2 to 3 days. However, if you need to have your EPC quickly, for a modest additional charge, we can provide an EPC for you the same day day of the visit. We call this an express EPC.

That’s it, its all completed. 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 To Improve Your EPC Score

Here we will provide you with some basic guidelines to ensure that your Energy Performance Certificate reflects your property in the best light.

Image of an EPC energy rating

These things will enhance your EPC rating

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Typically your Assessor should be able to get most of the information they need simply by going around the home. The data entered into the software is based on evidence gathered during the visit.

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

If you can supply documentary proof of these kinds of improvements to the property then this can be shown on the EPC and is likely to help the rating of your EPC Certificate.


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

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

• Floor insulation/ sloping ceiling insulation – receipt from installer showing thickness installed.

• Roof extensions year it was built – completion certificate, dated architects drawings.

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

These make the biggest difference

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The 3 mains items that have the main 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 typically 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 around 4.64 pence per kwh and the exact same 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 £696 to heat with gas as compared to £2,760 for bottled LPG.. Therefore running costs affects 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 can make a difference, the most significant difference is only really achieved if you are upgrading 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 noticed by the customer in terms of cosiness from a reduction in draughts. As the EPC doesn’t consider the condition of any particular item, this comfort gain is just not measured.

 

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

Upton Landlord EPC Services

The rules for property owners are forever increasing. For anybody who is a landlord, be sure that you don’t fall foul of the regulations, as civil fees and penalties of up to £5,000 can be given.

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

Letting agent handing over key

EPCs And Rental Properties

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As From April 2020, all existing rented properties must have a valid Energy Performance Certificate. Before that date an EPC was only needed on new rentals. Penalties can 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 has to be at least an E. The regulations that control this is called The Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard or (MEES) for 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. Should there be an existing tenant in the property and the rating is lower than an E, then the landlord has 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 last 10 years kept a register of all Energy Performance Certificates. The register can be found at www.epcregister.com. You should check here to find out if your rentals have a valid EPC and determine that they meet at least the required E rating.

A recent 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 article is available here. Ensure you are not one of them. Over time, we expect an increasing number of local authorities to get up to speed with enforcements.

The regulations, having said that, are not intended to be onerous. The 1st step to take is to get an EPC lodged on the register and should it be less than an E, to demonstrate that you are taking or have taken actions to get to an E. Even if it doesn’t achieve an E, there are specific exemptions that you could 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.
What Dwellings Are Exempt From Needing An EPC?

  • Places of worship.
  • Temporary buildings that will be used for less than two years.
  • Stand-alone buildings (of less than 50 m2 )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 An Energy Performance Certificate?
The answer is 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 best) to G 0 ( the least efficient). The average UK property is a D60. Rental properties have to be a minimum of 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 raise the rating. If an E rating can not be reached, 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?
Dwellings rented out in the private market 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 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 set 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 future buyer or tenant at the earliest opportunity.
Can You Fail An EPC?
Simply no. The EPC is not a pass or fail. Even so, various 3rd parties may require the EPC have a specified rating before they decide to continue. An example might be a financial institution loaning funds against a rental property, would require that the EPC is at least an “E”.
What Does EPC E Mean?
The Energy Performance Certificate will rate the property either A,B,C,D,E,F, or G. An E rating is the legal minimum a property can be for you to rent out. It is also getting to be the standard requested by financial institutions when loaning funds against a property.

It’s not saying you won’t be able to borrow the money when it is below an E, but there will probably be extra conditions in the arrangement.

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 Energy Performance Certificate is a legal requirement for all rental properties and homes which are for sale as well as all newly built properties. By law, the inbound resident must 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 identified in the database of Historic England as a listed building. This 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 time period of 8 weeks needs to pass before applying for a section 21 notice.

Besides the Energy Performance Certificate 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 proper legal advice so that all paperwork is presented to the courts correctly.

Can A Property Be Marketed Without An EPC?
Yes a property can be marketed without having an EPC but only subject to one having actually been booked to be done within seven days. If after making all realistic efforts one can not be obtained within that period, 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 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 has to be a minimum rating of an E, unless a valid exemption has been applied for.
Do You Know The Price Of An Energy Performance Certificate?
An Energy Performance Certificate typically costs between £50 – £120. This is determined by size of property and location. Typically it will be cheaper if going straight to an approved Assessor instead of using a third party like an Estate Agent or a marketing company.
We’ve been supplying EPCs in Upton in excess of 6 years and are delighted to be keeping costs down in the area. This has really helped us to be one of the leading suppliers in the region.
What Customers Are Saying

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

Serving The Upton Area

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Call Free 0800-046-7345
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0800 0467 345

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