Should landlords get an EPC now or wait for new regulations?

Should landlords get an EPC now or wait for new regulations?

9:38 AM, 15th October 2024, About 2 months ago 34

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Hello all, like everyone I dreaded telling my tenants that their “forever home” might not be forever due to the antics of Ed Miliband and co. I even had a comment to that effect read out by Nigel Farage on GB News last week.

Bravely I decided to get my EPC’s redone sooner rather than later. One went up a staggering 7 points. I had done nothing in the 5 years of owning the flat. The second went up 10 points making it a C. All I had done was replace a 20 year old boiler. The third stayed the same.

The advice I got from the EPC man was that their system is changing next March and that may bring a whole different set of results.

So folks the conclusion I draw is get an assessment now, if there is a “cheap” fix do it. If not get another EPC done under the new regs next April. What do others think?

The EPC is cheap in comparison to anything else one might contemplate.

Thanks,

Dizzy


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dismayed landlord

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9:41 AM, 19th October 2024, About 2 months ago

Reply to the comment left by Jessie Jones at 19/10/2024 - 08:14
Or sell up. Which is what they appear to be aiming for anyway!

Reluctant Landlord

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18:23 PM, 25th November 2024, About 4 weeks ago

HELP!

Just has an epc renewed. It expired 2 years ago but as tenant in situ and no reason to have to do it until he leaves (and he wont be leaving anytime soon!) BUT having heard the changes to the EPC algorithm may change early 2025, I decided to have one done anyway for fear of a new one producing a lower score than it has now....

NB Boiler is one of the highest SAP reading ones you can get - 88.8%
ALL D/G throughout

Result -
Rating 68 points and 1 point off a C.
45 sqm top floor flat

Feature Description Rating
Wall Solid brick, as built, no insulation (assumed) Poor
Roof Pitched, 200 mm loft insulation
Good
Window Fully double glazed
Good
Main heating Boiler and radiators, mains gas Good
Main heating control Programmer, room thermostat and TRVs
Good
Hot water From main system
Good
Lighting Low energy lighting in all fixed outlets Very good
Floor (another dwelling below) N/A
Secondary heating None N/A

Have asked assessor what I can do to get 1 more point - he says internal or external insulation.

Crouchender

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19:51 PM, 25th November 2024, About 4 weeks ago

Reply to the comment left by Reluctant Landlord at 25/11/2024 - 18:23
Get another assessment. A friendly Estate/letting agent you may know will know which 'ones' to recommend that may get you across the line

Bilivino

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23:00 PM, 25th November 2024, About 4 weeks ago

Reply to the comment left by Reluctant Landlord at 25/11/2024 - 18:23
Being right on the threshold to a C rating, I’d recommend that you talk to your assessor about the following two things:
1) If the heating pump in your combi boiler (or attached externally to your system boiler and hot water cylinder) was manufactured from 2013 onwards then the assessor can indicate this on the assessment if they have not done so already (often they don’t bother checking or can’t check if it is a combi boiler) - you might need a plumber to take the cover off a combi boiler so you can take a photo of the pump face to check. An external pump on a system boiler is clearly easier to access. If eligible and not already indicated on the previous assessment this often gives you 1 more SAP point.
2) Research the type of thermostat you currently have attached to your boiler. If it is not a compensating type then consider swapping it out with one that is. Compensation can be based either on Load compensation or Weather compensation. Such a heating control again is likely to increase your rating by 1 SAP point if you did not have one before, but the device needs to be registered on the Product Characteristics Database (PCDB) (hosted by the Building Research Establishment) and also listed on there as being compatible with your specific model of boiler.
I have used both of these methods on two properties to increase the rating by 1 SAP point. The thermostats I swapped out to were even purchased second hand to keep the costs to a minimum.
Good luck.

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