Lower EPC rating after improvements – Is there an official referee?

Lower EPC rating after improvements – Is there an official referee?

13:53 PM, 4th July 2022, About 2 years ago 14

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I have an EPC from 2009 which rated my house as a D67 this noted that there was ‘partial double glazing ‘ and recommended that full double glazing be fitted, which would boost the rating to a C76. This was duly done.

This report also confirmed that FULL Cavity wall insulation WAS in place I know this to be true from my own experience of working in the loft. The roof insulation is well over the top

The second EPC was commissioned and I naturally expected a C76. This one noted that there was full double glazing but now rated it as a D60?. This included a rating of  – Assumed partial cavity wall insulation and recommended full cavity wall insulation (which we actually have) which would raise it to a D67.

There is a worrying amount of inconsistency and potential unnecessary expense.

Is there an ‘Ofgem’ type of Ombudsman for EPC s or do we just have to set one inspector against the other?

I would prefer some sort of Official referee to expedite the decision and avoid personal unpleasantness.

Many thanks

Alan


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Comments

Gromit

7:11 AM, 5th July 2022, About 2 years ago

An EPC Assessor recently admitted that the EPC system was a joke & not fit for purpose.

It's based on the cost of energy consumed from the grid (electricity or gas). So has anomalies e.g. like replacing a gas boiler with a heat pump (as the Government is encouraging/forcing us to do) will result in a worse EPC rating.

Apparently it is going to be revamped, which will effectively invaldate existing EPCs. Until this is done getting an EPC is a waste of money.

Reluctant Landlord

7:26 AM, 5th July 2022, About 2 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Gromit at 05/07/2022 - 07:11
could not agree more. If the process is floored, then the outcome is floored.

In reality all the EPC is, is a tick box exercise. Lip service is paid to it in its current state and I defy anyone now to actually own up and say they are fully on board with the way this is currently implemented and how EPC's are produced. Simply not fit for purpose.

An therein lies the issue - even the government can't decide on a purpose. Reduction of fossil fuels, better insulation, or reducing costs for tenants? You may think you can do all three in one hit, but the reality is you can't as results are intertwined and produce different outcomes - therefore require different approaches.

An EPC should be something for LL's to aspire to for all right reasons - not playing the 'what can I do to get it to pass' game. Carrot not a stick approach.

I find myself now in the position of second guessing what the government MAY do when I have to carry out work to a property. Inevitably this has meant stretching out work to be done for as long as possible while waiting for clarity. No one wants to spend money now without any understanding of what the future looks like.

You wouldn't pay more for a product that promises better eco credentials, less energy consumption without reading the label and checking first, so why do you presume LL's will fork out £0000's for upgrades to a property if they wont legally be able to let it out after?

Jireh Homes

8:40 AM, 5th July 2022, About 2 years ago

The Conventions and underlying cost assumptions within RdSAP change over time so an EPC conducted today may be different to one 10 years ago, even where all the survey aspects are the same. Be very cautious simply following "standard" recommendations. As others have noted engage with your Domestic Energy Assessors to model potential improvements before committing expenditure. Often there are other improvements which may be sufficient to raise the Band Rating.

Daniele Carbonaro

12:18 PM, 14th October 2022, About 2 years ago

can you not get another assessor in hoping to get a better rating?

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