EPC Victoria Park

by | May 10, 2020

Need an EPC in Victoria Park?

Fixed Price EPC – only £69

Call Free (0800) 0467 345
EPC

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We Are EPC Assessors covering the Victoria Park 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 Victoria Park 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: Manor Park, Aylesbury, Broughton, Stone, Upton, St Leonards, Berkhamsted, Chesham, Bletchley, Amersham

What is An EPC?

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

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 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 particular EPC is produced along with SAP calculations to demonstrate that building work has met specified standards required by the building regulations. If you’re uncertain, just contact us for more guidance.

How To Get One Done

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An Assessor has to carry out a visit to the property to obtain the necessary data for the EPC. They are certified and must be a continuing member of an approved Government certification scheme.

Your Assessor will take dimensions of the property plus gather information regarding the existing lighting, heating system, glazing and current insulation. It may take anywhere between 20 and 40 minutes, dependant upon the complexity of the property..

The details are then entered into approved government software which then produces 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 need it urgently, for a small additional charge, we are able to arrange for you to get it the same day.

That’s it, its all done. 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

Ways To Boost Your EPC Score

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

Image of an EPC energy rating

These things will improve your EPC score

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The information put into the software is based on evidence that the Assessor gathers during the visit. Typically your Assessor will get most of the information whilst going around the property.

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

Whenever you can supply documentary evidence of these types of improvements then this can be shown on the Certificate and is likely to increase the rating of your EPC.


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

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

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

• Roof conversions year it was built – completion certificate, dated architects plans.

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

These make the biggest difference

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The 3 mains things that have the biggest 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 homes 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 house heated by gas would cost you around 4.64 pence per kwh and the similar house heated by bottled LPG 23p per kwh. {*source 2019 Nottingham Energy Partnership.} So with a typically semi using in the region of 12,000 kwh to heat the home, it would cost you £696 to heat by gas compared to £2,760 for bottled LPG.. Therefore running costs impacts the EPC score. 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 upgrades to the double glazing can make a difference, the biggest difference is actually really achieved when you are upgrading from single glazed to doubled glazed. If you are simply modernising from pre 2002 upvc double glazing, this will only show as a modest improvement in the energy rating of the property. With upvc double glazing the perception is normally sensed by the customer in terms of cosiness from a reduction in draughts. Since the EPC doesn’t look at the condition of any particular item, this comfort gain is just not measured.

 

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

Victoria Park Landlord EPC Services

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

Have a look at our guidelines for quick advice. We offer reduced prices for several properties.

Letting agent handing over key

EPCs And Rental Properties

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From April 2020, all current rental properties should have a valid EPC. Previous to that date an Energy Performance Certificate was only required on new rentals. Penalties can be issued by the local authority for breach of this.

What Is The Minimum Rating For A Rental Property

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An EPC rates the property from an A, the highest, to a G the lowest. To legally rent a property, the energy rating needs to be not less than an E. The regulations that govern this is called The Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard or (MEES) in short. For additional info 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. Should there be an existing tenant in the property and the rating is lower than an E, then the landlord needs to do something 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 ten years kept a register of all EPCs. The register is located at www.epcregister.com. You should check here to find out if your rentals have a valid Certificate and determine that they meet at least the required E rating.

A recently available report in the Telegraph taken from information on the register discovered that around 250,000 landlords are yet to comply with the new regulations. This article can be found here. Ensure you are not one of those. As time passes, we anticipate a growing number of local authorities to get up to speed with enforcements.

The rules, however, are not meant to be onerous. The first step to take is to get an EPC lodged on the register and should it be below an E, to demonstrate that you are taking or have taken actions to get to an E. Even if it doesn’t attain an E, there are specific exemptions that you could then be able to apply for. We can provide expect advice 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 Are Exempt From Needing An EPC?
  • Temporary buildings that will be used for less than two years.
  • 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.
  • 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 needs to 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 must be at least an E rating. If it is not an E then the landlord will have to undertake some of the recommendations on the EPC to raise 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?
    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 upgrades will have to be made, or a valid exemption applied for.
    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 circumstances: 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 An EPC Fail?
    Simply no. The EPC is not a pass or fail. Even so, various 3rd parties may require the EPC have a specified score before they choose to proceed. An example might be a financial institution lending 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 in order to rent out. Also, it is getting to be the baseline required by banks when lending money against a home.

    It’s not saying you won’t be able to obtain the money if it is below an E, although there will probably be additional 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 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 valid for a further ten years.
    Is An EPC A Legal Requirement?
    Indeed, an EPC is a legal requirement for all rental properties and homes that are being sold as well as all newly built properties. By law, the incoming resident need to be provided with 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. The list can be located on the historic england website.
    Can You Evict A Tenant Without An EPC?
    If the tenancy commenced 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 an EPC is subsequently obtained, a period of 8 weeks would need to pass before applying for a section 21 notice.

    Besides 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 proper legal advice to ensure all records is given to the courts correctly.

    Could You Market A Property With No EPC?
    Yes a property can be advertised without an EPC subject to one having actually been booked to be done within seven days. If after making all realistic attempts one cannot be done within that period, then a further 21 days is permitted to obtain one.
    Is An EPC A Legal Requirement 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 needs to 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 normally in the range of £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 3rd party for instance an Estate Agent or a marketing company.
    We’ve been supplying EPCs in Victoria Park in excess of 6 years and are delighted to be keeping costs down in the area. This has really helped us to become one of the main suppliers in the area.
    What Customers Are Saying

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

    Serving The Victoria Park Area

    CLICK HERE TO BOOK ONLINE
    Call Free 0800-046-7345
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