What do changing EPC and heat pump requirements mean for the PRS?

What do changing EPC and heat pump requirements mean for the PRS?

15:07 PM, 9th November 2021, About 2 years ago 46

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Hi, my name’s Melissa Lawford, I’m the property correspondent at The Telegraph. I’m writing an article about what changing EPC and heat pump requirements mean for the buy-to-let sector.

I want to hear landlords’ thoughts on what the extra costs of upgrades will mean for them. Are you concerned about how expensive these works could be and/or do you have opinions on the effectiveness of heat pumps? Could the plans to introduce these new requirements affect your investment decisions or encourage you to sell up?

If you could spare 10 minutes for a quick chat or would like to share your story, please email me at melissa.lawford@telegraph.co.uk or call me at 07936135425.

I need to file this specific story by lunchtime on Wednesday, so ideally anything before then would be brilliant, though if anyone misses the deadline I would still be very interested to speak to them!

Thank you so much for your help,

Melissa


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Comments

Beaver

15:27 PM, 17th November 2021, About 2 years ago

Reply to the comment left by PJB at 17/11/2021 - 12:18So the key message in that video appears to be that you can't just fit a heat pump and expect it to do a good job: You need to know about system design first; some systems require buffer tanks and some don't; a lot depends not just upon heat-exchanger, but upon the skill of the installer and the quality of the installation.
Well....my recent experiences with the EICR regulations changing didn't exactly fill me with joy and so I can't really see this particular "let's all fix the climate" knee-jerk reaction working out that well either.
With my own recently fitted combi-gas boiler my bills are on the way down and my tenants' bills are on the way down as well. For me to consider this I would need to know more about it, including how I would find a reliable well-trained installer, and I would need to know whether I'd still get the grant if I installed a heat-pump *without* removing my gas boilers.

PJB

17:39 PM, 17th November 2021, About 2 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Beaver at 17/11/2021 - 15:27The videos suggest that the grant id given when the old boiler is removed.
There is another consideration not discussed. The use of technology similar to the Mixergy Hot Water Tank allows existing gas boilers to heat hot water as now and connect a heat pump in the future. If you have underfloor heating then there is little else to do since the ufh water temp is less than 35ºC.
A heat buffer tank might be the answer for hot water CH radiators where the gas boiler 'tops up' the output of a heat pump on problem days,

Beaver

18:45 PM, 17th November 2021, About 2 years ago

Reply to the comment left by PJB at 17/11/2021 - 17:39
If the grant isn't given until you remove the old boiler then that's not happening as far as I'm concerned. Can't see my tenants wanting it either.

PJB

12:20 PM, 19th November 2021, About 2 years ago

Many of us will need to decide how to improve a property's EPC rating before the deadline. Looking at the currently available technology, hydrogen is too far down the line to help us formulate a suitable strategy.
 
Further to my earlier post, hybrid heating systems have been successfully trialled in the UK allowing existing gas or or electric boilers to work together with heat pumps to achieve the best of both.
 
See - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEdPp7_lJes
and
https://www.worcester-bosch.co.uk/products/hybrid/directory/hybrid-7000i-aw
 
For my 50s and 60s properties, gas / heat pump hybrids seem to be the best interim solution to ensure achieving EPC C or better.

Beaver

12:29 PM, 19th November 2021, About 2 years ago

Reply to the comment left by PJB at 19/11/2021 - 12:20
This is also something I would look at and consider when I have to do something about improving the EPC rating of the properties: But I'm apparently not going to get a grant because in order to get the grant you have to take out your gas boiler; so that's not happening anytime soon.

Karen

12:36 PM, 19th November 2021, About 2 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Malcolm Ratcliffe at 13/11/2021 - 10:41
Hi Malcolm
Are you in the business of doing EPC's as you seem to be very positive about them?

Luke P

12:38 PM, 19th November 2021, About 2 years ago

Reply to the comment left by PJB at 19/11/2021 - 12:20
The deadline is not even yet set. The consultation is still being deliberated! They need to sort themselves out!

Mick Roberts

12:43 PM, 19th November 2021, About 2 years ago

Reply to the comment left by Luke P at 19/11/2021 - 12:38
Yes Luke. Well said. From what everyone saying here and our own houses and mine are good with latest combi, UPVC etc. lots of landlords ain't gonna make it with less than 10k or even 30k with heat pumps etc

GREENDIZZYCRAB

13:35 PM, 19th November 2021, About 2 years ago

What happens if your property is part of a council block? Will the LA allow external work? What if it doesn't? As a leaseholder my LA does all the exterior work of which I pay towards. LA's are not required to do this work so I won't be holding out much hope for permission or the work being carried out, so what happens them. My EPC sites points 1to 4 at a cost of 15k plus has my property still as a D, then adding energy bulbs makes it a C. So do I ignore the insulation and just put in the bulbs? What happens if I add then and the tenant takes them out as they don't like the distortion? So many unanswered questions are rules as clear as mud. I am done, like Mick I want out, I will be sad to see our lovely decent tenants go, but I cannot do this anymore.

GREENDIZZYCRAB

13:44 PM, 19th November 2021, About 2 years ago

What happens if your property is part of a council block? Will the LA allow external work? What if it doesn't? As a leaseholder my LA does all the exterior work of which I pay towards. LA's are not required to do this work so I won't be holding out much hope for permission or the work being carried out, so what happens them. My EPC sites points 1 to 4 at a cost of 10-17.5k plus has my properties still as a D, then adding energy bulbs makes it a C. So do I ignore the insulation and just put in the bulbs? What happens if I add them and the tenant takes them out as they don't like the light distortion? So many unanswered questions are rules as clear as mud. Even if I wanted to carry on I would still have to sell a property to fund the requirements.So at least one tenant would have to leave their home. I am done, like Mick I want out, I will be sad to see our lovely decent tenants go, but I cannot do this anymore.

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