EPC work cost £8k and property is still a D! Missold air source heat pump

Reply to the comment left by Jonathan Cocks at 31/05/2023 - 09:22
Yes. Heat pumps do require an annual service.

Filters need to be clean and fluid need checking.

Our latest cost was £192 which was for a 2 hour job.

A comment on my experience with EPC and ASHP .
Some years ago I installed solar panels. To get FIT payments the house needed EPC D. It is old and has internal wall insulation behind plasterboard. I had to make little holes in every wall and all the sloping ceilings so the assessor could see the insulation. I asked if he would accept photographs and he said NO. Anyone else had the same problem with hidden insulation?
When I looked into fitting an ASHP one of the 3 quotes provided running costs. I worked out that it would cost more to run than an LPGas boiler primarily because it would need to run all of the time. No turning it off at night. The annual service charges were high and compulsory for the warranty.
Then there is the anecdote of someone in a newbuild with ASHP who turns it off in winter and uses direct electric heating as the heat pump does not heat the house adequately and works out more expensive. Not to mention neighbours who complain about the noise from ASHPs.
Buyer beware - do your research.

Hi dana,
I think at that point I would have politely asked the assessor to leave, still pay him/her, and try someone else as, due the inconsistency of how they operate, I don't think they would all demand that you pierced loads of walls, with the finish being permanently marked, whereby an otherwise smooth plastered finish is interrupted with a blemish.
On ASHP, my architect neighbour designed it into his new build. So far we have seen the specialist renewables contractor van back (for several hours each time) at least 30 times over about two years. No exaggeration.
Maybe enough said?

For those still following this thread, as mentioned, EPCs are assessed using what is called the Standard Assessment Procedure, "SAP". In December 2022 the government published this statement:-
Future developments - SAP 11
In 2020 we commissioned a scoping project for the next version of SAP - SAP 11 - to advise on how it can be enhanced to support net zero commitments for buildings. A consortium led by Etude carried out the SAP 11 scoping project which made a number of recommendations, including how to make SAP more accurate, robust and fit for purpose to support the net zero commitment. In October 2021 we appointed a consortium of experts led by the Building Research Establishment (BRE) to develop SAP / RdSAP 11. The SAP 11 project team is working with stakeholders to consider the Etude recommendations and how to implement them. We look forward to engaging further with industry through our SAP 11 consultation which we plan to launch next year. SAP 11 will come into force in 2025, alongside the Future Homes Standard update of the Building Regulations.https://www.gov.uk/guidance/standard-assessment-procedure#:~:text=The%20Standard%20Assessment%20Procedure%20(%20SAP%20)%20is%20the%20methodology%20used%20by,energy%20and%20environmental%20policy%20initiatives.
So there should be something out this year and those who haven't sold up by then will need to study it.

Question: if top floor flat has insulated their roofspace can the flat below get a tick for it on the basis that there is dome benefit in heat retention?

Upgrading gas boiler will give youore points. The EPC assessor inputs the specific boiler model into the software so presumably worth going for A A+ efficiency.

Having trvs on half your radiators gets you points, so no need to do them all if you don't want to.

Question: I suspect secondary Glazing provides more points than single glazing but is it same point value as double glazing? And will the magnetic secondary glazing be given points?

Answers to questions only by someone who knows authoritively please.

Always worth checking tenants have put LEDs in fixed light outputs. I changed 5 bulbs prior to recent EPC inspection.

And always ensure there is a heating thermostat.

Reply to the comment left by Dana at 03/06/2023 - 11:36
Our ASHP is on all the time but it when the fan is on and the compression it happening the the load is at its greatest. We use on average 50kwh a day in January, to heat, light and cook but when the temperature is below 4degrees outside we use a lot more. In Summer months we have a negative load of 40kwh a day because of solar, so over the course of year we have a negative load , so can’t tell you how well the ASHP performs to heat water. We do have to run secondary pumps which use a couple of kws a day. Noise is not an issue as it turns it self off , comes on 4 or 5 times a day/night. It is a complex setup process, and it doesn’t respond like a gas boiler to heat the house but the jury is out as to whether I think it’s worth the investment. Certainly not on retrofit, new build is a different answer as you also need loads of solar to get you through the winter months.

Reply to the comment left by Pete England - PaTMa Property Management at 03/06/2023 - 09:12
thank you for feed back. all these various fees and checks add up. to make me currently think i am not yet ready to think about heat pumps

Reply to the comment left by JB at 31/05/2023 - 11:12
Hi, question regarding The Great British Insulation Scheme (ECO+) - I read on Energy Savings Trust website that 'the scheme will start in summer 2023', however you mentioned that you already booked surveys...
I understand that you booked surveys with some insulation companies?
If scheme is not active now, how do you know which companies will be able to offer services covered by this grant?
I have two properties which meet criteria ie. council tax band A and EPC E and D, so would like to book surveys as well.
Is there a website I can find such companies (specifically in Birmingham/Solihull)?

Ps. I assume Ofgem will announce when this scheme will come into force?

Many thanks for clarifying 🙂

Reply to the comment left by Joanna at 05/06/2023 - 12:04
I would contact your environmental officer at your local council. He should know what’s going on at county level with the grant allocation and which contractors they are using.

Reply to the comment left by Pete England - PaTMa Property Management at 05/06/2023 - 15:01
good advise, I will check with them too, however I still need to clarify above question ie, if I can book surveys now with insulation companies even though The Great British Insulation Scheme (ECO+) is not live yet...