Surely I am not the only landlord worried about new EPC requirements?

Reply to the comment left by Denise G at 17/02/2021 - 11:23
Be vary careful of installing internal insulation. There is a great risk of interstitial condensation. If you get that it's only going to cause another problem. Take professional advice and I don't mean Bob the builder, get a consulting engineer to calculate the risk and how it can be mitigated.

Reply to the comment left by andrew sheppard at 17/02/2021 - 10:59
I am in same position with the a large Victorian terrace portfolio situation. I also have other properties built throughout the 50s, 70s, 80s an noughties.

Having spent hours going over all my epcs and seeing what counts I find only 2 options available on the Victorians. External wall insulation which is extremely expensive and no installer is interested in the government's latest green homes.

The 2nd is solar pv. I am a sparks (not a pv specialist tho so booked onto a course post lockdown) and can buy the gear and install for about 2.5k per property. Not sure whether the old roof construction is suitable for extra weight or wind lift as yet.

Its pv im hanging my hat on.

Either that or sell them asap- seriously.

And I dont consider internal wall insulation as being an anwer. I only do that on rip outs not an occupied property

Also have we considered the costs when gas boilers are no longer acceptable to install(2033 i believe?)

It seems to me some joined up thinking is needed here between epcs being looked at again with CO2 emissions more of a focus, the shifting of bands for landlords in 2025 and then banning gas a few years later. As i say joined up thinking rather than 'hotch potch' required

Reply to the comment left by Michael Pike at 17/02/2021 - 14:29We have no plans to install internal insulation, not least because we assume it would mean evicting - or temporarily rehoming - our long standing and happy tenants, to do so.

I have some 10 year old purpose built Barretts flats with Dimplex electric panel heaters. Original EPC when built was D recently had them assessed and now moved up to C. The only difference is I have changed all light bulbs to LED. Wasn’t much else I could do as they’re in a large development of around 200 units. Interestingly looking at the EPC register somebody else’s flat on the site has recently been assessed as B. Assessor told me rating could be higher if night storage heaters were installed. Seems the rating is very much dependent on who carries out the survey.

Having many Victorian properties and running into the same EPC issues, I can see a position unfolding in which many tenants will be evicted and the properties sold - unless of course the government also introduce grants that cover these costs and are workable for insulation companies!

Reply to the comment left by Liz Buckland at 17/02/2021 - 10:30
I've signed the petition and I'm surprised it has so few signatures, I was number 784. I have a property with an EPC rating of D. By applying loft insulation, I need 4 points to achieve C. The recommendations on the EPC are all costly and/or labour intensive measures i.e external wall/floor insulation/solar panels ...etc. What the EPC doesn't mention is how I can adapt/enhance existing features which have received a rating of "poor", "average", "good" and the points achieved by applying smaller secondary measures. These could be draught proofing, upgrading radiators, heating controls, zone panels etc. I asked the EPC man for advice who said he's neither qualified or allowed to give advice. He asked me to contact the Simple Energy Advice which is listed on the EPC who also were unable to help. Maybe Im missing something here, but why are they listed on the EPC if they can't help ? They gave me a number for an EPC Helpline which doesn't work!! Here it is 01392 690428 if anyone wants to give it a go. To cut a long story short, I was passed from one to the next, 6 different numbers later and still nobody could answer my question.

So far, I've contacted 12 companies for quotes under the Green Homes Grant.
Finding tradesmen with the registered Trustmark are like gold dust and completely overwhelmed. The majority seem only interested in implementing the primary measures which, other than loft insulation, are the most expensive.
One company, Saving Energy UK, will offer a remote quote with typical external wall insulation costs for my property between £12,000 - £20,000!! I must take clear photos for outside walls and, if I have them(!), measurements too! They aim to quote within 2 weeks. Once I have the voucher, they will conduct a full site survey.

Another locally based company, having confirmed my location, upon their request, took photos of my property which I forwarded to them, only to receive a reply a week later, they don't cover my area!

If you're thinking of contacting CNEG and Bidconnector, they're fully booked.

If anyone knows of a company who can offer advice or cover the Essex area, I would really appreciate it.

I have a 1 B/R (1st floor) that has 2 external walls (Bedroom) 1 external wall (Lounge) one External wall (kitchen) 2 external walls (Bathroom). I recently had the vented warm air heating removed (informed that part were becoming obsolete) and replaced with rads & combi boiler. The property belonged to my husband who passed away & his will determined that the property be placed in trust (myself & 2 stepchildren) so I have no wish sell after his pride & joy of owning his own property through all his (and mine) hard work. The property will cede when I shuffle of this mortal coil! In the meantime any rental income is mine (it was my husband's wish that I receive at least some income to boost my retirement pension, after helping pay the mortgage for the previous 24 years) but I must also pay for all maintenance etc. out of that income. The flat is a Leasehold (purpose built in the 70's - no social housing) and therefore I cannot insulate those outside walls. The floor is concrete (there is a garage underneath so obviously not heated or insulated from below), the ceiling above is also concrete, demised half to me & the other half demised to (floor) the flat above me. My lease forbids any alterations (without Freeholder Authority). When is this all going to end - I am at an age where this should all be behind me to enjoy?

Reply to the comment left by margarita delaorden at 17/02/2021 - 10:24
I know what you mean! Just finished a conversion with highly recommended electric boilers which were supposedly energy efficient. And that knocked us down to a D - despite all the insulation, double glazing etc etc. The EPC assessor told me that this was because the way energy is generated comes into it. At the moment, electric boilers do not rate as highly as a gas boiler.

In this conversion, we retained the gas boiler for one of the properties and that has a better rating than the 2 with the new electric boilers.

Sounds like they need to change the way they assess the energy efficiency for EPCs.

Reply to the comment left by margarita delaorden at 17/02/2021 - 10:24
Hi - very interested to hear this anyway, how did you meet Part L standards on new flats with basic standard electric heating? Did you use Heat Pumps?