Are decision-makers suffering from delusions of competence on EPC rules?

Are decision-makers suffering from delusions of competence on EPC rules?

9:21 AM, 10th February 2025, About 22 hours ago 14

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Bad Policy Example: From 2028, it is suggested that all new tenancies must have an EPC rating of ‘C’ or above, with all existing tenancies required to meet this target by 2030.

Why is this bad Policy?

1. Millions of houses are below ‘C’ and won’t be a ‘C’ for 2028. These properties will then be removed from the rental sector. With fewer properties available, a growing population and insufficient new builds, then what does the government think will happen to rents? Assuming the number of renters remains constant and fewer rental houses are available this government will be attacking tenants as they cull the supply.

Further, the government thinks landlords should spend up to £15k on a property to achieve a £240 a year saving for the tenant on hearing bills. The math would show it would take 40 years to get your money back, a horrendous return.

Here’s what good policy looks like!

Invest the money in nuclear power stations – Use competent builders to achieve a five years build and allow them allow people access to sufficient low cost green energy to cheaply heat homes supplemented with wind and solar. An abundance of cheap energy.

They say they want growth yet run policies of shrinkage. Perhaps the decision-makers suffer from delusions of competence?

What does the property118 community think?

Thanks,

Paul


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Paul Smith

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14:32 PM, 10th February 2025, About 17 hours ago

Reply to the comment left by Geoff at 10/02/2025 - 11:18
The point I am making is reasonable cost insulation and cheap green surplus energy is a much better option?

Gerri Ellis

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18:19 PM, 10th February 2025, About 13 hours ago

Reply to the comment left by moneymanager at 10/02/2025 - 10:13
It's a good question and one that should be forwarded to Matt Pennycook, as the Leasehold & Freehold Reform Act is being fine-tuned at this moment. It's a good example of why leasehold needs reform - to prevent absent freeholders obstructing improvements that would benefit everyone else!

Ian Riches

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18:32 PM, 10th February 2025, About 13 hours ago

In order to let the property a specific rating is required. In future it will be 69 points to achieve a C standard. 68 points will not do. In my experience the rating on a property can go down by 20 points even after improvements are made. The process is not fit for purpose and it is not in any way transparent. There is no statement of the facts the assessor records and puts into the version of the software. There is no mapping of the inputs to points achieved. The software the generates the number is not available to allow validation of the result by anyone or to explore the effects of changes. Since the operation of this software requires no qualifications or experience other than a three day internet course, it cannot be difficult!
Until every assessor can review the same property and come up with exactly the same input data and that data can be put into any version of the software to produce the exactly the same number then it is clearly not fit for purpose.
It will not be useful to landlords until they can see what is recorded about their property and are able to see what actions could allow them to just achieve the required rating by using the software.

moneymanager

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21:37 PM, 10th February 2025, About 10 hours ago

Reply to the comment left by Judith Wordsworth at 10/02/2025 - 11:06
Factually correct but misses my point, any and all alterations outside the lease demised property, such as insulation or window changes are likely to be subject to the freeholder or RTM company to agree, and all leaseholders obliged to contribute pro rata and indeed agree, my point was that letting owners could be precluded from upgrading by virtue of these complexities. As to owner occupiers, are you aware of the EU regulations on this point, compulsory EPC levels at pain of fine and/or council enforced work with a charge on the property, this is all part of the wealth stripping policies of the WEF.

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