Archive for the ‘Energy Performance Certificate (EPCs)’ Category
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25
Sep
2008
EPC’s will hit commercial property sales from next week
Many commercial property transactions which have been delayed by financing difficulties and are still in the pipeline months after they should have completed may fall foul of the introduction of mandatory energy performance certificates (EPCs) for commercial buildings next week, which will be a fresh blow to the depressed property market, a leading law firm has said.
From 1 October, all commercial buildings marketed for sale or letting will need an EPC, grading their energy efficiency. The estimated cost of a certificate ranges from £1,500 for a small shop to £50,000 for a shopping centre.
Catherine Diggle, partner at law firm LG, said: “The commercial property market is already depressed and the need to produce EPCs will be seen as an unwelcome and potentially significant extra cost at an already very difficult time.”
Diggle also criticised the government for failing to clarify its position on “not-for-value transactions” – certain deals that may be exempted from the EPC rule.
“The commercial property market is already depressed and the need to produce EPCs will be seen as an unwelcome and potentially significant extra cost at an already very difficult time”
She said: “There is an exception for ‘not-for-value transactions’ dependant on the individual circumstances, but it is not clear what this actually means as clarification is awaited from the DCLG.
“It may not extend to the sale of properties by insolvent companies at a nil price, which will cause difficulties for administrators and receivers, particularly as the costs could be significant and cannot be recovered from the buyer.”
Diggle said it would be “risky” to assume that transfers of commercial properties where no money changes hands are not required to get EPCs.
21
Dec
2007
Energy Performance Certificate – The Home Information Pack
According to the new law which would be introduced in April 2008, all the commercial buildings that are above 500sqm would need to get an Energy Performance Certificate. The certificate states the energy efficient of your home. The ratings are given on a scale of A to G where ‘A’ rate is given to the residence with the highest efficiency while the homes with the ‘G’ rating have the lowest efficiency.
The Energy Performance Certificate also helps you to know the impact your house may be having on the environment. The homes with good energy efficiency do not pose a threat to the environment while a residence with low energy efficiency has adverse effect on the environment. This is because the latter would emit a lot of carbon in the atmosphere.
If you are buying or selling a house then you need to get a home information pack. This home information Pack would consists of important documents and other useful information for the buyer and the seller. These Home Information Packs includes the Energy Performance Certificates, information regarding the property and other useful documents.
If you are selling a property to someone then you need to provide the new buyer with the Energy Performance Certificate. You can contact an accredited Energy Performance Certificate specialist who can analyse the property and provide you with the certificate. For this you can contact Wilbourn Associates who are the leading environment consultants in UK. They have the required accreditation and would help you in obtaining the certificate.
The Energy Performance Certificate assessors would survey the property and pay detailed attention to the factors that affect the energy efficiency. These factors would include the lightening, boiler system, air-conditioning system and other such factors. The information thus collected would be inputted in the computer. The computer would evaluate this information and give a report based on it. This report would carry information about the energy efficiency of the house. The Energy Performance Certificate advices you on making certain improvements also by which you can conserve more energy.
The Energy Performance Certificate would also carry the date, location and the construction details of the house. It would also include the information regarding the fittings used in the house.
The Energy Performance Certificate is important as it helps us to keep a check on the level of energy consumed. It will include some suggestions for the resident that can help him to control the amount of energy consumed. These suggestions and advice are also helpful as it would help you to keep a tab on your electricity bills also. Thus, if you need assistance in obtaining an Energy Performance Certificate, you can contact Wilbourn Associate at www.environmental-surveyors.com who can help you with it.
28
Sep
2007
Green findings – Energy Performance Certificates and Home Information Packs
Average four bedroom homes are getting an ´E´ energy rating, according to a survey from the introduction of Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) and Home Information Packs (HIPs).
New information six weeks after the launch of EPCs and HIPs, shows that average four bedroom homes and above could save hundreds of pounds off heating, lighting, and water bills.
Most homes are receiving an ´E´ rating in their EPCs on the A-G scale, but could this could potentially rise to a ´C´ if consumers undertake measures recommended in the certificates, such as loft and cavity wall insulation.
The Government is today extending EPCs and HIPs to three bedroom homes so more buyers will get the same information to cut carbon emissions and reduce fuel bills.
The early findings come from a snapshot survey of energy assessors and EPCs provided since the launch of HIPs, which show average 4 bedroom homes are being rated ´E´ and could typically save £180 on heating, £60 on lighting and £30 on hot water bills, a year.
The top 5 recommendations given by assessors for improving energy efficiency have been: cavity wall insulation, changing to low energy lighting, putting thermostatic valves on radiators, loft insulation, and double glazing.
The introduction HIPs is already starting to reduce costs and improve transparency in the housing market. More than 85 local authorities have reduced their search costs, in some cases by more than £100.
The average pack is taking around 5 days to compile, with major estate agents charging in the region of £300 plus VAT for a HIP, on an upfront or deferred basis – £200 to £250 of which is already paid under the current system.
Communities Minister Iain Wright said:
“Families buying four bedroom homes are getting clear information which shows how they can save hundreds of pounds on their fuel bills and cut carbon emissions too. It is important that this should be available for people buying three bedroom homes as well.”
Typical ´green grants´ of £100 to £300 for energy saving improvements like loft insulation are available to many home owners from energy suppliers as part of their legal obligations introduced by government to improve energy efficiency. Consumers can now access details of green grants and offers by tapping in their postcode on the Energy Saving Trust´s website.
Energy suppliers are also providing direct information about grants to home buyers when they sign up to an energy contract.
17
Aug
2007
Hips extended to three-bed homes
The government has said it will extend its Home Information Pack scheme (Hips) to cover three-bedroom homes in England and Wales from 10 September 2007.
Hips are intended to speed up house sales, but critics say it makes the process expensive and bureaucratic.
They were introduced on 1 August for four-bedroom homes and contain title deeds, local searches and an energy performance certificate (EPCs).
Hips packs cost the seller about £400 and take roughly five days to compile.
Following the expansion of the scheme, 60% of the property market in England and Wales will be covered by Hips, the Department of Communities and Local Government said.
Scotland is set to get its own version of Hips in 2008.
18
Jun
2007
New Rules on Selling
Home Information Packs including Energy Performance Certificates will be implemented on a phased basis from 1 August.
From then Packs will be required for the sale of four bedroom properties and larger, with smaller properties being phased in as soon as sufficient energy assessors are fully qualified.
Until the end of this year, properties can be marketed as soon as a pack is commissioned, and as a temporary measure Energy Performance Certificates can be up to 12 months old when a property is put up for sale.
11
Jun
2007
Regulations laid to deliver EPCs and HIP´s
The Government today laid the revised regulations necessary to deliver Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) and Home Information (HIPs) into the housing market on 1 August.
As announced last month, EPCs and HIPs will be phased in starting with four bedroom homes and larger properties – rolling out to other sized properties once sufficient energy inspectors are in place nationally and regionally to meet demand, taking into account market conditions and evidence from implementation.
We expect to need 2,000 accredited assessors and inspectors to introduce EPCs and HIPs to three bedroom homes, with a total of 3,000 needed to cover the whole market. We believe these are prudent figures that will ensure the smoothest possible implementation.
Latest figures supplied by accreditation agencies show there are currently over 1,000 accredited energy assessors and homes inspectors. This is above the threshold needed to introduce HIPs on August 1 for four bedroom homes and larger. More than 4,700 assessors and inspectors have passed their training exams.
22
May
2006
Press Statement: ENERGY PERFORMANCE CERTIFICATES AND HOME INFORMATION PACKS
The Government is today announcing that we will be implementing Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) and Home Information Packs (HIPs) from 1 August instead of 1 June. The Government has also reached an agreement with the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) on their judicial review of Energy Performance Certificates.
The Judge, considering the application for Judicial Review by RICS, had issued an Order preventing EPC´s from being included in HIPs from 1 June until a court had fully considered the RICs application.
We did not consider it to be acceptable or practical to delay the introduction of EPCs in this way.
We have always made clear greater transparency in the housing market and tackling climate change goes hand in hand. In addition, we have created a new energy assessor workforce – the majority of whom expect to start work in June.
We have therefore been in negotiation with RICS in order to avoid a lengthy delay as a result of the legal process. The Government can today announce an agreement has been reached.