EPCs in 2028 to include existing tenancies?

Is the 'proposed' legislation 6 years away in the April going to be in the morning or afternoon as I'm thinking of booking a few days away

An interesting problem! I have been looking at the EPC (2018) for my rental and, although not cheap, I think I can achieve upgrading from E to C with the tenant in situ.
The key thing is to look at how the points add up and what has the biggest impact. Things like changing to a condescending boiler, low energy lighting, room thermostat and TRVs, extra loft insulation and solar panels can all be done with the tenant in situ.
It all depends on where you are starting from and what payback period you want but it keeps the rent coming in!

Reply to the comment left by Simon Britton at 28/11/2022 - 12:48
As far as I can tell if this applies to existing tenancies I'm going to have to end the existing tenancy and get rid of the tenants to do the work rather than waiting for the end of the tenancy. But in reality the EPC system hasn't been sorted out yet and it seems to lack reliability.

Reply to the comment left by Beaver at 28/11/2022 - 17:41The EPC system "seems to lack reliability"! Understatement of the year. The system is utterly bonkers. It would pretty much force us to install gas central heating when the government wants to discourage new gas installations and tells us to put in underfloor insulation which is already in place. The tenants have been living there for years and are happy with the storage heaters they have because the level of insulation keeps temperatures equable.

I fail to see how a landlord will ever achieve 'payback' for solar panels + battery. The panels are guaranteed for 25 years, the battery for 10. To take full advantage of the panels you need a sizeable battery, ( around £6000), at today's prices. So say Panels at £8000 plus 2 sets of batteries over 25 years makes outlay of £20,000.

Even if the savings match that over 25 years, it will be to the tenants benefit not the landlords.

Will the cost be reflected by an increase in value, yes, but only at approximately 50% of cost. So unless there is an additional reason you want to do it, there is no 'business' rational that I can see.

Have I missed something?

payback is much quicjker now with energy so high.

I had a quote Dec 2020 for 10 panels and a 5KW battery at £5.5K The saving was maybe about £400.

Come May 2022 and with price increases I just rang and booked an install as quick as possible. Cost was now £7.5K, but the saving with be £800-1000

So you go from a 7% return approx to 10-13%.

So payback is 7 1/2 to 10 years.

The export rate this summer went from 7p to 15p. I haven't factored that in yet.

So i think the return might be higher. I will calculate it all in May 2023.

I got the install done quickly and now the company are not even doing quotes as they have such a back log. We only got our battery installed in October due to all the delays coming out of China.

Our system from May until now has generated 1550KW of energy, so at the capped 32p odd for a KW that has saved £500 odd. If we were looking at the market price (which we will be after next spring) the rate will be around 54p KW, so saving £837.

Reply to the comment left by John at 28/11/2022 - 19:54
Hi John.
I think you got a really good deal for £7.5k
I don't understand your export rate though. The FIT scheme closed for new installs in 2019 and the SEG tariffs are only 3.5p?

Also, for your 1550kWh...did you actually use it all? I've been getting quotes recently and when you look at the profile of generation it doesn't match up very well with usage, ie you generate most in summer but use the most in winter so there's a disconnect.

With octopus you got 7.5p per kw but they upped it to 15p just after we got it installed. Nothing to do with the old schemes.

The battery is great for balancing loads out but yes you use more in winter and less in summer but the sales to the grid will help a bit. Even though the system was put in in may it has only been working correctly since October. So I need to see where we are with figures come this time next yr.

I know my house uses 2400kw electric per yr so that’s £800 spend at 32p and £1300 at 54p. Pretty sure the panels will make a big dent in that annual cost.

Doing it for a rented property is a different matter though. Will it help get a higher rent? Prob not, or not enough to make the outlay worth it.

I'm looking for, and have yet to find, the calculation or legislation behind EPC.

I want to create an EPC guidance tool to allow us to see the effect if we vary the order in which upgrades are carried out.

Any one know where to find the rule book that Stroma et al rely on?

I've just done a big refurb with tenant in the property. It was a nightmare. We ended up cleaning the kitchen and moving furniture each day. It added at least 25% to the time cost!