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

Solar panels are a much better spend to help get to EPC C. Heat pumps are not upto the job at the minute. Ok in new homes but not in older ones.

What ever made you consider a heat pump for a rented property, I will (may) be doing solar panels – but not until 2028 approaches (hoping the tenants will move out by then so I can sell)

Point 1. No salesman will even guarantee anything when you do it for a reason beyond their own control. They sell you a product. End of.

Its up to YOU to do the research etc to see if it meets your requirement first.

In this instance you have been naive and there is no point pursuing anything legally.

After fitting LED bulbs and making sure that insulation levels are up to scratch the easiest way to improve your EPC rating is to get another EPC assessor/company to do an assessment. As a recent report highlighted there are wide and random discrepancies in assessments and it all depends on who you get on the day. A lot cheaper than shelling out £8000 on air source heat pumps, which as Andrew57 says are not up to the job.

thank you for the Heads up warning! re Heat Source Air Pumps. i will not waste time doing the research now.
my preferred improvement is via Solar as i have them on my own home. But i haven’t worked out:
1/. if its a capital investment or a legitimate form of repair/replacement and offsetable against rent.
2/. if and how i can share in some of the cash savings the tenant will benefit from once installed.
3/.has anyone got any thoughts on ‘should i consider installing a battery at the same time’.? does this make any difference to EPC?

John Gregson is spot on regarding appointing a second or even third assessor, as their results are almost guaranteed to be different.
Lisa, with respect, getting in writing from a contractor that an EPC will reach C is not worthwhile, as they can’t guarantee that it will, and neither can an assessor during an assessment. The algorithms dictate that when the assessor’s data is entered.
I know two friends who have found their air source heat pump system not to deliver, or to have endless call-backs (20 plus) with numerous technical issues, and that friend’s is a new build!
Could triple glazing by adding secondary to double (if already fitted) be an option at a fraction of the cost, unless you have a huge number of windows? Simple draught proofing strips to external doors could help too perhaps?
Jonathan- A Tesla battery belonging to a neighbour cost him about £6,000. It’s for a tenant, so it’s business, not luxury.

On a personal note, I have just had my epc done on a renovation. Having had air source heat pump installed to save the planet ? I managed a B but on the report I had poor for hot water heating, turns out heat pumps are electric so I am single source for all my heating. Gas is cheaper per kw than electric so classes as poor. Yet the air source in my option is far more efficient than a combi boiler. Makes no sense all, if the government want us to change then the regulations need to reflect it.

Reply to the comment left by John Gregson at 30/05/2023 – 09:45
Not only are assessors subjective but I’ve been told they use different computer programmes so there’s 2 variables. Keep getting assessments til you get the result you need (within reason!)

Also, I’ve been told you only need ANY solar panel (as tiny as you like) to get the EPC increase as the computer programmes are very basic on solar.

Dear All- I am a Domestic EPC assessor.
Air S H P’s are just an electric heating system so will always give a poor energy rating.
So that is it.

Reply to the comment left by Andrew Martin Harrington at 30/05/2023 – 12:30
…ergo LL’s should avoid any of these until either the EPC properly moves towards ONLY looking at CO2 emissions as it’s only objective (the EPC being overhauled properly to be reflective of the building’s actual current position and possible position going forward) AND such large installations (new elec boilers/SHP/Solar etc) become cheaper to install.