Led by EPC assessor or retrofit specialist?

Reply to the comment left by Seething Landlord at 04/03/2022 - 16:54
Not quite…I’d say 85% of my tenants (at least a few hundred) cannot get a mortgage. They don’t have the deposit, the credit score and wouldn’t be given interest only.

They can, will and do pay. Look at the likes of the old Brighthouse…they’ll pay waaaay over the odds for appliances because they have no choice and or no financial discipline.

Reply to the comment left by Deborah at 05/03/2022 - 07:21It doesn't at the moment. As previously stated in this thread, when the regulations are published we will know the requirements and until then there is no point taking any action. We just have to hope the government allow sufficient time between announcement and implementation of the regulations for all the work to be carried out by the limited number of contractors available. Of course, publication of the revised regulations may result in a glut of former rentals on the sales market if costs of compliance are prohibitive.

Reply to the comment left by Old Mrs Landlord at 05/03/2022 - 10:32
I'm getting all my ducks in a row now.

I'm getting free loft insulation installed and if these propeties still dont reach EPC C I will be ready to sell them.

I am also in the process of remortgaging and dont want to take on 5 year mortgages and have to pay early repayment charges if I need to sell.

Forgive me if im incorrect, but i thought reccomendations mean that they could been done, but not nessasary? My oldschool tradesmen say that as long as pre exsisting are in good working undamaged order then no need to change. What does everyone think?

Reply to the comment left by Luke P at 05/03/2022 - 09:38
It is the landlord who will need to take out the additional mortgage, not the tenant!

Reply to the comment left by DSR at 03/03/2022 - 19:37
Payback over seven years is known as the "Golden Rule". In the case of Domestic properties this aspect of the legislation is currently dealt with by whether or not the assessment methodology includes the recommendation or not in the EPCs (there seems to be some confusion amongst landlords who think domestic EPC assessors choose recommendations - they don't; The government approved software does!). As such it is unlikely to be a useful exemption for domestic landlords.

Reply to the comment left by LordOf TheManor at 03/03/2022 - 20:00
You have done the right thing trying to engage with the assessor and using the company complaints process. However, there isn't really a "time limit" after which the assessor doesn't have to correct a mistake. If you have concerns about an EPC showing as valid on the National Register and have not been successful in dealing with the assessor direct then you should complain to the assessor's Accreditation Scheme as shown on the certificate. They should then call the EPC for audit meaning the assessor must provide all their evidence and an independent expert will review the accuracy of the assessment. If any significant mistakes are found, the assessor must correct them at their own expense.

In defence of the assessor, a new roof without loft access on it's own would not currently be sufficient evidence under the government's rules to include insulation and it should be treated "as built" according to the property age. As you say, a "reputable roof company", who's to know if one was used. However, a good assessor should ask if you have made improvements and if you have documentary evidence to support this. If you have the building control sign off documents that should have been obtained or other suitable proof it can be included.

Your story illustrates a couple of key points:
1) Cheap assessments like anything may not be any good. A decent assessor will probably take at least 30 minutes on site for the simplest properties and more often around an hour for an extended detached house. At least that time again would normally be spent preparing / processing the assessment (possibility at the property or back in the office depending on how your assessor does this). Good assessors are skilled professionals so, considering lodgement costs etc, a £50 EPC probably means the assessor is earning about minimum wage.

2) It is now essential that all buildings, including homes, essentially have a log book. You need to build up all the documents from maintenance and improvements and have it available for any relevant professional visiting the property. As a landlord it provides you with protection in terms of meeting all your obligations, not just those for an energy assessment.

Reply to the comment left by Doug Hough at 05/03/2022 - 12:02
The patma software records all documents and improvements and expenses. It’s a great tool that gives you piece of mind that you have any change recorded. http://Www.patma.co.uk

When EPC's started they were recommended but not obligatory until later. Nevertheless, I was very keen to be recognised as a good landlord and proud to be accredited etc. so I arranged for all the properties to have EPC's. The assessors would arrive with aluminium stepladders for the loft space and gave them a thorough EPC-MOT. The facts and figures on the reports meant little to most folk and were not asked for by tenants.
Fast forward to my next 10 year renewals and now the information required by everyone was compulsory for all concerned with renting. The next generation assessors arrived with their laptops and I was told the software had been updated and would show more favourably than the old version.
Sadly, they were fleeting visits, whereby the assessors no longer inspected the roof space because of health and safety regulations and looking at their findings so much was stated unknown or un-inspected coming under the heading of 'ASSUMED NO". So, a lot of assuming on their behalf, not much help for proprietors, tenants, agents etc. but cheap. In contrast, when buying and having a survey (for several hundred £) carried out the surveyor comments on most things. We've all had those surveys that give us sleepless nights. One that was done for me was a horror story, mentioning damp roof timbers and dry rot. I inspected the property myself and saw no damp or dry rot. I called the surveyor as I was puzzled to confirm his comments. He said it was head and shoulders through hatch look-around and they report the wet timbers and dry-rot just to cover themselves!
So, none of these visits are much cop eh?
One property that I completely refurbished with wall and floor insulation with photographic evidence of the works were refused by the EPC assessor as I did not have certificates from nationally recognised organisation?
This is what I mean when I say I am running my business on my own to the best standards, but so many others are pushing-in just to get their hands in my till. All these nonsense regulations that only steal from us all without an end result, it will wind down and finish PRS.
Next, roll-up roll-up for the regulated rents to stop landlords recovering the extraordinary costs of compliance. But what would a dinosaur like me know? I read so many comments from 20 year experienced landlords selling up. Who do they think will house the 28,000 dingy people and 100,000 citizens from Hong-Kong?

Reply to the comment left by Pixie Props at 05/03/2022 - 23:07
'Who do they think will house the 28,000 dingy people and 100,000 citizens from Hong-Kong?'

In reply to your rhetorical question - if this goes ahead the government will prefer they sleep on the streets than in a house with an EPC of D or below