How Much Should Landlords Pay For An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)?
16 Apr 2009
I had to get an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) for the first time recently. It was made a legal requirement for all landlords back in October 2008. Booo!
Meh, waste of time and money as far as I’m concerned. From my experience, tenants don’t give a shit about how energy efficient a property is. In fact, not ONE prospective tenant even required to view the certificate during a viewing. I’m assuming they either a) don’t give a flying fuck b) have no clue about it. The only saving grace here is that they’re valid for 10 years and don’t cost an arm and a leg.
I wasn’t entirely sure how much I was expected to pay for one of these things. I’ve heard people mutter prices that range between £60-£100. A letting agent quoted me £70. At that point I assumed I could get it cheaper, because the agents usually contract external companies. Going direct to the source seemed like the better option.
Anyways, I had a little look around on the world wide web, and the cheapest I managed to find was £45. That’s over a 3rd cheaper than what the letting agent wanted to charge me. The EPC company operates in Essex, but I’m sure they’ll be similar prices around the country. I think £45 is a pretty good deal. HIPManager proved to be quite cost effective as well (follow the link for a free online quote). They operate more widely, but don’t have a flat rate- they base their costs on size/location of property- but still quite good on price.
From what I found, most other companies are charging between £65-85. The majority was hitting the £70 mark.
Has anyone been able to beat £45 for a EPC on a per property basis? I’m sure if you order in bulk, you can save a pile more.
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Talk / 17 Comments left so far
£35? Wow, that is cheap! I've yet to see those crazy deals!
I always assume that estate/letting agent pile on costs when they offer extended services that require external labour! I'm not surprised they take more than the DEA in some cases! Scandalous!
I agree, in the coming years they'll be more vital, but right now, tenants don't seem to be taking any notice.
Kind regards
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http://www.wessex4epc.co.uk/
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Bloody ridiculous!just another tax by other means imposed on us by the damn government - dont get me started!!!...
As a matter of interest, do the epc firms have to pay the government anything for each EPC/HIP they do?
Jools
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I agree in its current form, EPCs are not effective on the whole. But expect to see that change over the next few years with a dose of carrot and stick.
We get so much energy out of oil (not to mention by-products) compared to what's put in to get it out of the ground.
Now North Sea oil is depleting at a faster rate than initially predicted and with sommat like 50 of the 80-odd major oilfields of the world also in decline, and with 80% of the major oil producers being State-owned - many by unfriendly countries to the west - the energy-invested to energy-return ratio is already more expensive.
Consider that oil was, just a few years ago, around $20/barrel.
Today it's hovering above $50 despite a supply glut thanks to the world recession.
OPEC desperately want it higher and are cutting production.
There comes a point when oil becomes more difficult to extract and refine. So-called 'light-sweet' crude is the nice stuff, then you get into the heavier denser stuff that settles at the bottom of a field = more expensive and difficult.
And that doesn't take account of the terrain.
This recession (and low oil price) is killing the investment needed to develop wells (new and existing) so when - if - we come out of this recession, and demand rises again...
China is steaming into countries, locking them into guaranteed oil deliveries in return for generous revenue and trade deals ('cos they're loaded right now).
2013 - 2015 is worrying a lot of people ATM.
Soz, bit of a long and deep one there - don't have nightmares, though; Gordon Brown will save the world ;)
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Jools
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MikeC, is that possible?
But yeah, £50 for a phone provided service is ridiculous.
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Name the bleeder if you're willing to stand-by it, or mail me thru' my contact form and I'll see if I can have a word with his/her accred scheme - they may undertake an audit on past work or put a watch on his/her ass.
http://www.energy-performance-certificates.org
All DEAs have to take site-notes and photos (if needed).
He/she should be paying you!
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It has to be "frozen" to more than -200 degrees, shipped across the world then "thawed".
Plus, gas is not so far behind oil.
But it's a part of the mix to keep the wheels turning.
I deliberately didn't factor in the climate change argument 'cos people question it, and let's face it, it's an abstract thing to most of us, whereas oil finality is fact.
But if you do factor it in - and the powers-that-are, do - LNG doesn't help.
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http://www.homecert-direct.com
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http://www.energy-performance-certificate.org.uk
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You can see testimonials etc on www.HipHipEpc.co.uk
Well worth taking a look!
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Please leave a comment
I initially started this website because I wanted to document my every step from property idiot to property landlord,
in hope that people would find my site and help me along the way. I literally didn't have a clue about being a landlord
when I started this website.
After costs, many estate/letting agents make more than the DEA - troof!
Believe me, in the next few years people will see these things as pivotal - oil: http://www.vidoosh.tv/play.php?vid=1515
In fact, people have already taken their homes off the market because of the result of an EPC, and one DEA has recently been (rightfully) sued by a homebuyer for getting an assessment wrong.
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