Sales of buy to lets now a big factor in housing mark...

Martin Gibbons
31 May 2023 06:36 AM

If you are thinking of closing down your rental business SELL NOW whilst some buyers can still get a mortgage on your buildings with EPCs of Grade D and E. My nephew has just had a purchase fall through in Nottingham because he can’t get a new 25 year mortgage on an EPC Grade E house that he and his wife wanted to buy. Or get an up to date DRAFT domestic EPC on your rental unit and ask the assessor how to get it up to EPC Grade C via a draft predicted EPC. The answer is almost always put some insulation on the walls, in the loft or roof build-up and install an efficient heating system. It’s not an Elon Musk mission.

Robert Brown
31 May 2023 08:35 AM

Mr EPC fan is back again!

Peter Why Do I Bother
31 May 2023 08:45 AM

Here he goes.... What is the name of your nephew? and was his dad and presumably your brother Mr Spectrum ZX81 and married to C64?

Have a day off will you.

Chris Lee
31 May 2023 10:32 AM

So Martin. You're saying there are no mortgage providers willing to lend on an EPC E? Is that correct?

George Dawes
31 May 2023 12:47 PM

The day I take your advice is the day hell freezes over , Mr Funky Gibbon

William Williams
31 May 2023 06:51 AM

Not true. My 1950's detached property had wall and roof insulation, double glazing throughout, an efficient condensing combi boiler, thermostatic radiator valves, low energy lamps and only got a "D". To bring it up to a "C" the EPC recommended installing a heat pump, solar panels and underfloor insulation which would entail removing expensive and no longer available solid oak wood floor blocks. Cost £30k for an annual ensrgy saving of approximately £100. Interestingly I was also penalised for removing a gas fire and installing a heat pump in one room. Apparently switching from gas to electricity loses points and the fact it was a heat pump does not count. I sold it.

Trigger Triggs
31 May 2023 07:26 AM

Don’t blame you. 30k for a band uplift.

Alan Ward
31 May 2023 08:04 AM

It’s highly likely the SAP rules will change again to favour electric over gas rather than the present set up. Government’s dilemma is electrical capacity to supply all the potential heat pumps (and EVs) is still not enough while promoting a green economy. So they are content to let manufacturers get high prices which effectively allows them to profit to develop the market and products but at a slower rate. If heat pumps were too cheap everyone would buy one and swamp the grid. All this Aldi ignores the fact that most UK homes are not suitable without major insulation and refurbishment to eliminate heat losses.
Meanwhile we need gas to balance the energy demand but government can’t appear to be too enthusiastic.

Peter Why Do I Bother
31 May 2023 08:57 AM

Agree with both Alan and William, a number of my buidlings are Victorian and Georgian and will struggle to get EPC bands up. I have had assessors round who have said you need wall insulation when they are solid walls..! Pointed out the loft insulation was new and declined to even look at it.

Alans point about load on the grid is very real, just been to a conference regarding EV's and most of the information was two years out of date but these guys talking about getting on board or we will be left behind.

All in all not a very coherent policy and CO2 reduction is nothing but a game being played, we don't drill or mine anymore but import it as it does not count in the CO2 calculation.

Chris Lee
31 May 2023 10:33 AM

That sounds more like they screwed up the EPC.

Michael Foley
31 May 2023 07:15 AM

We know all this isn’t this the Government’s plan to drive out Private Landlords.
The Discrimination and injustice by law is having the desired effect.
As one person commented yesterday the only way to remove the Tenants from your property is to sell the property.
This is exactly what the Government / Mr M Gove the instigator in sheep’s clothing wants, make no mistake about that.
They’ll be kill two birds with the one stone, you’ll get rid of the Tenants and Mr M Gove gets rid of you.
Any doubters Auction Houses in London never know anything
like it or anyone else either.
Recent Auction they started early at 8.45 am continuing right though the day into evening time to finish at 9.15 pm, there’s one for the Guinness Book of Records and another one would be the treatment of PRS, come on now give us a break we don’t need 3rd or higher level of education to recognise what’s going on when it’s in our face.
More to come The De-Regulation Act, higher SD, Deposit debacle and Licensing didn’t get rid of enough of us,
Let’s have a LL Registration Scheme, an Ombudsman, a Redress Scheme Scam and our Landlord Association that’s supposed to represent us in Collusion and a party to all this. Good morning.

Peter Why Do I Bother
31 May 2023 09:00 AM

Michael you are forgetting the main reason for making landlords sell, tax revenues now in CGT for the big tax giveaway next year in time for the election.

Trigger Triggs
31 May 2023 07:29 AM

And if you’ve got any land they will force you to sell it to build houses on at lower than OMV. So will get worse. When reds in .

Simon Logan
31 May 2023 07:52 AM

We are looking now to buy for my kids and I would say that of the few houses we are viewing, easily 3/4 are being sold by people just like us 🫤🫤 it’s sobering. The future looks grim for renters.

Michael Foley
31 May 2023 08:05 AM

Don’t talk to me about EPC’s I had a ’C’ for last 10 years now on renewal a green horn from University gives me a ‘D’ because I don’t possess the Cavity Wall Certificate although it was accepted last time. He says assumed none but I blue in the face telling him its a fact. I offered to drill holes or take out a brick, no good it has to be a piece of paper.
Hundreds of thousands of landlords don’t have the Certificate either.
The four big Companies that done the work under Government Scheme made a killing then Bankrupted the Companies.
They didn’t issue Certificates at all that was done CIGA insurance and others to guarantee the work, they refused to send to Cert’s to the owners at that time but instead insisted on sending them to the property concerned.
Since when did Tenants always pass post on to LL assuming they even came. I only ever recovered three and that was only after re-applying to the insurer and paying a fee.
I have wasted so much unpaid time on this to no avail.
CIGA says they have no record of property being done to try other lame duck insurers but all a blank and some don’t exist anymore, its supposed to be a 25 year guarantee.
What a National disgrace and to cap it all the Councils are now basing their Licensing Fees on on EPC’s, the poorer it is the more expensive it is.

Ellie Edwards
31 May 2023 08:31 AM

How awful for you Michael to have been put through all this over the EPC!

Are these the companies CIGA are suggesting you contact about the certificate?

Enterprise ECO Guarantee – Phone: 0344 324 5242
Kinnell Green Deal Guarantee –Phone: 01292 268020
IWA ECO Guarantee – Phone: 01604 654150
Qualitymarkprotection – Phone: 0345 340 0524
Kinnell ECO Guarantee –Phone: 01292 268020

If there is no luck with any of those, could you contact building control for your borough for evidence of the insulation having been carried out?

Michael Foley
31 May 2023 09:17 AM

Peter, absolutely right I could mention those things and a lot more like huge interest rate rises, S.24 etc but people will be sick of me.
Thanks Ellie for your positive suggestions I think I have tried most of this but if I have any luck I’ll post it.
Now I must get on with my day.