July 2011
This could be the new EPC. What do you think? Better or Worse
May 201
One in three home sales fall apart
Mortgage Solutions | 15 Jul 2011 | 14:50
Mortgage Solutions
Nearly a third of all property sales collapsed in the first six months of 2011, according to data from large conveyancing firm 1st Property Lawyers.
The firm blamed the rising number of failed sales on buyers and sellers getting cold feet, the elimination of Home Information Packs and economic uncertainty, according to The Guardian.
Sellers withdrawing properties from the market accounted for 29% of the total sales that fell through, said the firm, with the phasing out of Home Information Packs (HIPs) also a factor, as sellers feel less financially obligated to the sale.
HM Revenue & Customs figures show 173,000 house sales in the UK in Q1, well down on the 459,000 recorded in the last quarter of 2006 when the housing market was nearing its peak.
The second most common reason sales fail remains buyers pulling out of the purchase, driven by nervousness in the marketplace about house prices and fuelled by fears over finances, general economic uncertainty and job security.
However, fewer transactions failed because buyers couldn't get a mortgage, said the law firm, with just one in 10 sales collapsing for that reason this year, down from 15% in 2009. Buyers have understood they need to look for financing before they start house hunting, it added.
Collapsed chains account for 9% of failed sales, poor surveys for 8% and sellers deciding to rent instead of sell for 6% of all abandoned sales.
Mark Montgomery, the 1st Property Lawyers commercial director, said real world factors like family sizes, schooling and personal circumstance drive the market, causing more sellers to sit tight and watch how the situation develops.
"Expectations have not always been met," he added. "Modest price rises after the initial post-credit crisis fall raised the hopes of property-owners regarding what they might get on the market. This unrealistic idea of property values was reflected in the number of sellers aborting transactions once they realised they wouldn't be getting what they wanted."
March 2011
Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne announced the 2011 Budget earlier today.
The points below are those deemed of most interest to the Partnership’s members:
Green Investment Bank (GIB)
- The initial capitalisation of the GIB will be £3 billion and it will start operation in 2012-13, a year earlier than previously anticipated. The Spending Review allocated £1 billion for the GIB and the Government is aiming for the remaining £2 billion to be funded from the sale of assets
- Government investment alongside private finance should mean that there is in the region of an additional £18 billion of investment in green infrastructure by 2014-15 as a result of the GIB
- The Government will enable the GIB to have borrowing powers from 2015-16, once the target for debt to be falling as a percentage of GDP has been met.
Planning
- Choice over the use of previously developed land is to be localised, removing nationally imposed targets while retaining existing controls on green belt land
- A 12 month guarantee is to be introduced for the processing of all planning applications, including any appeals, to streamline and speed up the planning process
- The Government will work with local authorities to expedite planning decisions for surplus military land and other public sites suitable for housing, also testing ’build now, pay later’ techniques to quicken delivery. Together with the new presumption in favour of sustainable development, these proposals will potentially allow the Ministry of Defence to realise up to £350 million of estate disposals and enable delivery of up to 20,000 new homes by 2014-15.
First time buyers
- £250 million is to be provided to support first time buyers to purchase new-build properties. The FirstBuy programme will assist over 10,000 households with equity investments jointly funded with house builders
- Demand for residential property will be strengthened by reforming the stamp duty land tax rules applied to bulk purchases. This will reduce a barrier to investment in residential property, promoting private rented housing supply.
Carbon tax
- Following consultation, a carbon price floor for electricity generation will be introduced from 1 April 2013
- The carbon price floor will start at around £16 per tonne of carbon dioxide and follow a linear path to £30 per tonne in 2020. The carbon price support rates for 2013-14 will be equivalent to £4.94 per tonne of carbon dioxide.
Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS)
- Government will not proceed with the CCS levy. It will instead fund its commitments to CCS demonstration from general taxation
- The Government intends to introduce relief for carbon capture and storage and combined heat and power (CHP), and remove an existing exemption in the climate change levy for electricity CHP plants to supply indirectly to energy consumers. Anti-avoidance provisions will be introduced to prevent forestalling with effect from 23 March 2011.
Climate Change Agreements (CCAs)
- Climate Change Agreements (CCAs) will be extended to 2023. The climate change levy discount on electricity for CCA participants will be increased from 65 to 80 per cent from April 2013 to continue to support energy intensive businesses exposed to international competition. A consultation on proposals to simplify the agreements will be published by summer 2011.
Apprenticeships/Skills
- £180 million for up to 50,000 additional apprenticeship places over the next four years. 40,000 places will provide additional capacity to support young unemployed people, in particular through progression from the work experience programme. To address the specific barriers faced by SMEs in accessing apprenticeships, the Government will support business consortia to set up and maintain advanced and higher apprenticeships schemes, supported by grants, creating a further 10,000 apprenticeships
- The Government will expand the University Technical Colleges programme to establish at least 24 new colleges by 2014. Formed through partnerships between universities, colleges and businesses, University Technical Colleges will provide technical training opportunities for 11 to 19 year olds. The sponsors will help set curricula to match the needs of the local economy and of their sectors, provide high quality work placements, and allow the colleges to use their specialist facilities.
To access the complete Budget document visit: http://cdn.hm-treasury.gov.uk/2011budget_complete.pdf
To access all other Budget documents visit: http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/2011budget_documents.htm
Plan for Growth
Budget 2011 saw the launch of the Government's 'Plan for Growth’ and below is a relevant item in this document:
- It was announced that the regulatory requirements for zero carbon homes will apply from 2016. To ensure that it remains viable to build new houses, the Government will hold house builders accountable only for those carbon dioxide emissions that are covered by Building Regulations, and will provide cost-effective means through which they can do this.
To read the whole document visit: http://cdn.hm-treasury.gov.uk/2011budget_growth.pdf
The Low Carbon section is on pages 81 to 83 and the Construction section is on pages 115 to 117.
Quidos review reverse auction EPCs
Quidos Accreditation has always strived to maintain the highest quality standards within the energy assessment industry, and in September 2010 took a stand against "reverse auction" panels after it became apparent that quality is being compromised by cost with the launch of these panels. |
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"We should not devalue the industry, the EPC and ourselves "
These panels allow assessors to bid for the lowest price to complete the job - but the lowest price is by no means the best price. IIn a bid to combat these sites and ensure quality within the industry, as of 1st October 2010, the Quidos Domestic Energy Assessor insurance policy no longer supports or caters for EPCs which originate from such Reverse Auction panels.
Katie Fielden, Quidos Accreditation Manager explained: "In the past years Quidos assessors have achieved an excellent pass rate on quality assurance audits. We would wish to uphold and indeed reinforce the quality of reports; unnecessary price driven auctions simply cannot be healthy for hard working assessors and therefore we shall fully support such considered views of select industry stakeholders and of our own insurance company, and hence now urge our assessors not to compromise the quality of reports conducted".
Since we implemented our new policy we have had an overwhelming response from Assessors concerned about the industry and the methods of the panels, however there are still Reverse Auction panels operating and having a negative effect on the industry. We would like to take this opportunity to remind our members that any Quidos accredited member who accepts work from reverse auction sites that they will be uninsured, and if they are using any Reverse Auction websites to source work, they will be placed on 100% QA regime.
"Websites such as NextDayEPC are examples of how quality standards are dragged lower and lower, and Quidos does not want to contribute in anyway to this attempt to degrade the industry with business practices that only benefit charlatans and promote low value ethics." added Philip Salaman, Managing Director of Quidos "As an industry we must focus on the long term goal of reducing energy consumption and promoting efficiency within the built environment. We should not devalue the industry, the EPC and ourselves by accepting the lowest possible fee and then inevitably compromising quality and indeed accuracy".
For more information on this issue or the Quidos Accreditation scheme please visit www.quidos.co.uk or call 01225 318 400 to speak to a member of the team
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Energy Bill [HL]
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AMENDMENTS
TO BE MOVED
ON REPORT
After Clause 39
LORD BEST
BARONESS MADDOCK
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Insert the following new Clause—
“Domestic minimum standard regulations
Power to make domestic minimum standard regulations
(1) The Secretary of State shall make regulations for the purpose of securing that a landlord of a domestic PR property which falls below a minimum standard of energy efficiency (as demonstrated by the energy performance certificate) as is provided for by the regulations shall not let or market the property until such time as the landlord can demonstrate that the property meets the minimum standard for a domestic PR property.
(2) Regulations under this section are referred to in this Chapter as “domestic minimum standard regulations”.
(3) For the purposes of domestic minimum standard regulations—
“energy performance certificate” has the meaning given by the Energy Performance Regulations;
“landlord” and “local authority” have the meaning given by the regulations; and
“minimum energy efficiency standard” means Band E or above expressed in accordance with Regulation 11(1)(a) of the Energy Performance Regulations or above (or any higher level set in accordance with subsection (5)).
(4) The Secretary of State may by order amend the definition of “energy performance certificate” in subsection (3).
(5) The Secretary of State shall, no later than 31 December 2019, amend the regulations to raise the minimum energy efficiency standard.
(6) Domestic minimum standard regulations shall come into force no later than 1 January 2016.” |
LORD BEST
BARONESS MADDOCK
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Insert the following new Clause—
“Further provision about domestic minimum standard regulations: England and Wales
(1) Domestic minimum standard regulations may in particular include provisions about—
(a) exemptions from any requirement imposed by or under the regulations;
(b) the making of an order by the Secretary of State to suspend the regulations for periods not exceeding one calendar year within any local authority area, provided the Secretary of state—
(i) is satisfied in respect of every calendar year in which there is suspension of the regulations that there is evidence that the regulations have resulted in a significant shortage in the supply of domestic PR property in that local authority area; and
(ii) publishes the order and the reasons it was made and the evidence on which it was based.
(2) Provision falling within subsection (1)(a) includes, in particular, provision about exemptions relating to any necessary permissions or consents.” |
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Insert the following new Clause—
“Sanctions for the purposes of domestic minimum standard regulations: England and Wales
(1) Domestic minimum standard regulations shall include in particular provisions for the purpose of securing compliance with requirements imposed on landlords by or under the regulations including granting powers to local authorities to carry out relevant energy efficiency works to domestic PR properties under the regulations and recover the costs from the landlord.
(2) Provision falling within subsection (1) includes, in particular, provision—
(a) for a local authority to enforce any requirement imposed by or under the regulations;
(b) about the sanctions for non-compliance with a requirement imposed by or under the regulations;
(c) about the sanctions for the provision of false information in connection with such a requirement; including in cases falling within paragraph (a) or (b), the imposition of a civil penalty by a local authority.
(3) The regulations will make provision for a civil penalty not exceeding £10,000 to be imposed on any person who markets or lets a domestic PR property which does not meet the minimum standard regulations on or after 1 January 2016.
(4) The regulations must also include provision for a right of appeal to a court or tribunal against the imposition of the civil penalty.
(5) Provision falling within subsection (4) includes, in particular, provision—
(a) as to the jurisdiction of the court or tribunal to which an appeal may be made;
(b) as to the grounds on which an appeal may be made;
(c) as to the procedure for making an appeal (including any fee which may be payable);
(d) suspending the imposition of the penalty, pending determination of the appeal;
(e) as to the powers of the court or tribunal to which an appeal is made;
(f) as to how any sum payable in pursuance of a decision of the court or tribunal is to be recoverable.
(6) The provision referred to in subsection (5)(e) includes provision conferring on the court or tribunal to which the appeal is made power—
(a) to confirm the penalty;
(b) to withdraw the penalty;
(c) to vary the amount of the penalty;
(d) to award costs.
(7) If the Secretary of State considers it appropriate for the purpose of, or in consequence of, any provision falling within subsection (5)(a), (c), (e) or (f), domestic minimum standard regulations may revoke or amend any subordinate legislation in so far as the subordinate legislation extends to England and Wales.
(8) In this section “subordinate legislation” has the meaning given in section 21(1) of the Interpretation Act 1978.” |
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March 2011
CHEAP EPCs & POSSIBLE PITFALLS
There are many companies advertising EPCs at £39 +VAT on the internet.
How can these companies provide EPCs at such a low price?
And is it a good deal for the home owner/landlord?
Read on and make your own mind up?
There are four possible pitfalls that the homeowner may be at risk from:
(1) A company employs a Domestic Energy Assessor (DEA). The DEA will have a very low salary. To increase his earnings,
he needs to reach targets set by the company. Once these targets are met, the DEA will be paid an extra fee. The target levels
are very high. To try to achieve these levels the DEA needs to work fast. As such the DEA can only afford to spend a minimal
time on the survey. And may cut corners. (Not measuring loft insulation?). The DEAs time, on site, doing the survey would be
less than 20 minutes.
A proper survey takes about 45 minutes to 1 hour. So by cutting corners, you could get an inaccurate EPC that could affect the
sale of your house.
(2) A company instructs an independent DEA. The company takes payment for the EPC, but does NOT pay the DEA.
As the EPC has not been paid for, it remains the property of the DEA. The DEA may withdraw it from the LANDMARK
Data Base. Leaving the homeowner with an invalid EPC. The homeowner will then have to pay for another one.
(3) A company will take payment from the homeowner for the EPC. However that is the last you will hear from them.
(4) A company employs just one qualified DEA. They employ an unqualified person to carry out the survey on your property,
recording very basic data. This “data” will be given to the one qualified DEA for him to upload. The DEA has no way of
knowing if the data is correct.
The person carrying out your survey;
If unqualified (an inaccurate EPC?).
If not licensed (an inaccurate EPC?).
Which could mean that;
They may not be insured (If he/she falls through you loft or is injured whilst at your house, you could be sued).
They may not be CRB checked (Has he/she a criminal record?).
SO HOW CAN YOU AVOID THESE POSSIBLE PITFALLS?
Use a DEA that friends or family have used and can recommend.
Find a DEA local to you. Using a local Energy Assessor could save you money. They can be found in your local papers
and “Yellow Pages” or by going to;
https://www.epcregister.com/home.html
or
http://www.whatstheidea.org.uk/index.htm
Check that the DEA is licensed. You can do this by using the Free Phone number displayed on the back of their ID Card
or by going to;
https://www.epcregister.com/home.html
If paying over the phone use your credit card so you are protected from non supply of goods/service (EPC).
As always, check the DEAs ID BEFORE letting them in to your home.
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March 2011
BE WARNED
Express EPC” - Should I Use them?
The Company:
Express-EPC Limited.
Address (Registered at Companies House)
27 Old Gloucester Street
London
WC1N 3XX
Company Registration: 07312137
Established: 13 September 2010
www.express-epc.co.uk
Phone: No phone/contact number
Director: Mr Chris Whatcott
Note: The address given is a “Mail Drop” and NOT the address of their office. The same address is used by;
HIPSERVE,
HIPSAVE
SAVI (an online estate agent).
Mr Whatcott is not a director of SAVI but Mr Whatcott is the registered owner of the SAVI web site. (Source: whois).
The person, the companies:
Mr Whatcott and his HIPSAVE/HIPSERVE companies have had 12 CCJs successfully lodged against them.
So what is being said about EXPRESS EPC and other companies run by Mr Chris Whatcott?
Have a look at these web site forums?
http://www.mortgagestrategy.co.uk/non-lending/pccb-suspends-registration-of-hip-provider/1008302.article#commentsubmitted
http://www.energyassessorsforums.co.uk/Home_Inspectors_&_Domestic_Energy_Assessor_Board_C5/Discussion_Board_F4
/HAVE_YOU_BEEN_PAID_YET_P1067/
http://www.grumbletext.co.uk/vt.php?p=23085
http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?275267-EPC-Energy-Performance-Certificate-via-Express-EPC&p=3109130
http://www.hawthorn-environmental.co.uk/Blog/2010/08/express-epc-i-havent-been-paid.html
http://www.homeinspectorforum.co.uk/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=18764&p=177668
http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.php?t=2695009
http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?275267-EPC-Energy-Performance-Certificate-via-Express-EPC&p=3124958
So what do you think? Should I get my EPC from EXPRESS EPC?
Only you can decide.
Read the Blog on “Cheap EPCs” and Stay safe.
Tags: Add new tag, Chris Whatcott, Chris Whatcott CCJ, Chris Whatcott CCJs, EXPRESS EPC, EXPRESS EPCs, hipsave, hipserve,
SAVI, whatcott
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Feb 2011
DEAs petition Government to cut EPC shelf life to a year
Monday 21st February 2011
Domestic Energy Assessors are raising a petition to the Government to cut the shelf life of an EPC from ten years
to one.
The Institute of Domestic Energy Assessors and HousingEnergyAdvisor.com want a 12-month validity period to
apply to EPCs on both rental and sale stock.
But the proposal has been attacked by other DEAs.
On the Home Inspector Forum, one person called it “truly risible.” He added: “Not a cat in hell’s chance of happening.
Of course, I accept it’s probably a negotiating gambit, but even so.”
Another labelled it “pure dreamland”.
The petition says that reducing the shelf-life of an EPC would encourage the public to improve the energy efficiency
of their properties, and would provide more accurate information to both local and central government.
It adds that a requirement to have EPCs that are no more than one year old would also develop the energy efficiency
business, including the creation of future jobs.
The petition calls for the immediate implementation of the suggestion, which it proposes as an amendment to
the Energy Bill that is currently making its way through Parliament.
The chances of the proposed amendment being accepted are at odds with earlier accusations that the Government
originally ‘gold-plated’ the EU requirement for an EPC by giving it a three-year shelf life for a property for sale.
The RICS in fact threatened a judicial review over the matter, saying that it was against government policy to
gold-plate EU legislation unless there was a demonstrable benefit. The High Court agreed that the RICS had a reasonable
case. In the event, the RICS stayed its hand.
Its threat of a judicial review was cited by then CLG secretary Ruth Kelly as the reason for delaying the introduction
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of HIPs.
Only last year, the Regulatory Policy Committee advised against extending the scope of EPCs, saying that CLG
needs to research the effectiveness of the current regime before there are any further extensions.
The committee was scathing about CLG’s consulation, which took place last year, saying that CLG had not done its
sums properly.
One of the most controversial proposals in the consultation would make it mandatory for all property advertising,
including all newspaper and online listings, to include EPC graphs. The committee savaged this proposal, saying:
“If the information about energy efficiency of properties was an essential factor in attracting potential buyers,
then estate agents would already have been including that information in the adverts.”
However, the European Commission is due to recast – ie, beef up – the Energy Performance of Buildings Directive,
and the new version is expected to be implemented by 2012 or 2013.
Feb 2011
Petition to reduce the validity period of Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) from the current ten year validity
period to one year.
The Institute of Domestic Energy Assessors (IDEA) and HousingEnergyAdvisor.com petitions the Government
to immediately reduce the validity period of Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) from the current 10 year
validity period to a reduced period of 1 year for properties for sale and for rental.
We therefore fully support the proposed amendment to the Energy Bill that is currently under consideration by
the Government, specifically:-
“33CA* Energy Bill
(5) For the purposes of subsection (2), an energy performance certificate is only valid if—
(a) The certificate relates to a period that is no more than one year from the time that the certificate was issued; and
(b) The person required to provide the certificate has no reasonable grounds to suspect that the energy performance
information on the certificate is no longer accurate.”
We believe that immediate implementation of this amendment will ensure that the public will be in a position to receive
accurate and detailed information on property energy saving and that it will allow the public to make informed decisions
regarding energy efficiency.
By immediately reducing the EPC validity from ten years to a period of no more than one year we believe:
a) that this will encourage owners and landlords to improve on the energy efficiency of the UK property stock
b) that it will provide accurate information on property stock and energy efficiency to both Local and Central
Government allowing for specifically tailored schemes and grants, as well as ensuring accurate feedback as to
the successes of these schemes.
c) That it will provide accurate information for potential buyers and tenants allowing them to make informed
decisions on potential properties.
d) That it will support and encourage the growth and development of the energy efficiency business sector
including the creation of future jobs.
e) That it will encourage and lend value to green incentives and employment, which will directly lead to making
significant contributions towards Carbon reduction targets.
Based on these factors we respectfully encourage the government to immediately reduce the validity period of the
Energy Performance Certificate to 1 year for sale and for rental purposes.
Jan 2011
Well 2011 has arrived and now seems like a good point to start my little woof woof. I guess most people call it
a blog but the difference here is that mine is going to be more specific or not and I will only really complete my
rambling when it suits me and I feel I have something to say including any typos that may incur.
2010 was an extremely difficult year for us Energy Assessors. There were those of us who started a little late
such as me, and those who where in there when it all started. Many of us paid thousands of pounds to get this
qualification and the qualification I am talking about is a Diploma for Domestic Energy Assessor level 3, often
seen as dipDEA which look really good and is either City & Guilds or ABBE.
I want to come back to the start when I did my training and share my criticism but I will approach that part later
. Right now I want to recap 2010.
I spent over 20 years of my life as a courier driver working nights...........wasting my life working nights. I know
we got to do what we got to do but I have realised that working all that time at night was ridiculous and has cost
me a lot in other ways. I recall a chat with a black cab driver and we all know how they can talk, I was in my
early twenties and he said to me that “there are two types of cab drivers, the ones which do all the work and
the others that sit in their little doctor who boxes and moan that there is no work out there, which one are you
going to be?” Obviously I decided to be the later!
2010 saw a change in government from Labour to Conservative. Putting my cards firmly on the table I would
say that I am more of a natural conservative than a labour voter but I have voted for both parties in the past as
it really depends on what they are doing. The basic premise being that Conservatives create the opportunities
for you to take and Labour just give it to you a bit like teaching you how to farm and grow your own food and
just giving you the food.
Labour created the Home Information Pack (HIPs) and although I was not a lover of these as I only ever started
HIPs two weeks before the Conservatives got rid of them. This was a blow to my fledgling business and overnight
put over 3,000 people out of work and indirectly 10,000 people running to find new jobs, in a time of recession,
a poor poor decision in my view all based on completely the wrong information.
The only up side to this is that it has help or started to address the corruption that exists in this new concept of
energy awareness, remembering that this business or industry is only really two years old.
To be an Energy Assessor you had to have a qualification and spent a great deal of money to get that qualification.
To conduct the HIPs you needed nothing, anyone could carry out a HIPs, a very little known fact. A fact kept secret
by the gate keepers so they could charge you more money.
Now in 2011 CLG (communities & local government) have started to pull their socks up and tighten up the rules.
10% of all of our work is now checked and if not correct we are suspended, no other industry has this. On the
streets to the customer it is still seen by the majority as a waste of time and not taken seriously.
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gerry@greenbeehousing.com
Tim Eggins says: 
Stuart Pretty says: 
jose fernandez says: 
KB says: 
Paul Walker MInstLM,DipDEA. : 
