Mortitia Posted August 9, 2009 Report Share Posted August 9, 2009 Hi all, I have just had to get an EPC (Energy Performance Certificate) for a 1 bed house as I have long term tenants vacating. The market town agent I use as tenant finder on this one wanted £85+VAT. Last year thanks to a recommend by Hein on this site I got one for £55 for a London flat. It struck me there is something of a rip off about all this. After a few minutes on Google I found an accredited person 8 miles away who would do it for £40 cash on a Saturday morning. Job took 20 mins and I had the certificate by email at 5pm. He did look at everything. On chatting to the certificater outside, the man (a semi retired person) told me that whilst on the training course for EPC he was advised that he would be able to charge £120- £200 per 2 bed property. LOL. I think there would be landlords rioting in the streets if this were the case. Could this be another example of this Labour goverment trying to tie us up with pointless legislation and the whole thing resulting in a complete rip-off farce? How many tenants asked to see your EPC, have you bothered to get one and how much did it cost? The anonymity of this site should enable you to answer so we can all get a view of what is happening nationwide. Thanks for reading, Mortitia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reg Posted August 9, 2009 Report Share Posted August 9, 2009 Of course it's a rip off, a pointless load of rubbish, another tax that labour can squander. The next load of cobblers which might be in the pipeline is the proposed licencing for all landlords, yet another under-hand tax. When will this government realise that the majority of landlords have vastly improved the quality of the rental market and provide a good service to tenants, they should stop making it harder for the average landlord (me) to make letting property a worthwhile pursuit. Perhaps they should also make the rules between tenants and landlords more balanced? Sorry for the rant and going slightly off subject. I can't comment on EPC certificate as I don't have one, this is out of protest not ignorance, and I do know I can be fined, BUT I do adhere to all of the other legislation: TDS, gas safety etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trenners Posted August 9, 2009 Report Share Posted August 9, 2009 Hi Mortitia, Prices will vary from as little as £40 (no VAT) to around £75+VAT (or more) from letting agents ........ however you do get what you pay for .... If you arrange the EPC yourself, you need to find a contract, instruct the contractor, co-ordinate the appointment with the existing tenants, handle any issues when the tenants forget and you have to go and let the EPC inspector in yourself, arrange to get the certificate from the EPC inspector and settle their invoice ..... will save you MONEY (ie: you will be able to buy it for £40) ...... but will cost you TIME etc If you go to a letting agent it will cost you more MONEY .... but save you TIME ..... and you will probably not be invoiced (by the agent) until the first rental payment is processed ..... so you keep you money in your bank account longer (which will improve cashflow). In summary - a letting agent is not necessarily ripping the landlord off by charging a higher fee for an EPC ... because they are also adding value by handling the entire process. Hope that helps ..... Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mortitia Posted August 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted August 9, 2009 Well that was a fast response for a Sunday morning! Reg - thanks for your contribution to my poll and I am inclined to agree with your rant. I like to think I offer quality buildings though EPC man did say that he has come across landlords who are not interested in improving properties just getting the certificate because they have to. I'm sure at least 50% of certificate holders come in that bracket. I can't do anything to improve my rating on that property apart from solar panels and a wind turbine - too funny, LOL! Mark - OK not all letting agents are a rip off over this and it may be fine for those with nil organisatiion skills who want full management. This is not me. I had already negotiated with tenants who want to be away quickly if poss about EPC and how agent can't tenant find without one. They had never heard of it. It took me 10 mins to search, phone and appoint EPC man. Met him there next day, was able check other things that might need doing at property and quick chat with tenants who then went off to local village show. I locked up after all done. Good use of my time I think but of course each case is unique. If it was not for using an agent I would take the same line at Reg in fact I am doing so with one already. Let's hear from others and the other burning question I want answered is has anyone been turned down by a tenant on the content of their EPC? Mortitia Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Dewsberry Posted August 9, 2009 Report Share Posted August 9, 2009 Hi Mortitia, Prices will vary from as little as £40 (no VAT) to around £75+VAT (or more) from letting agents ........ however you do get what you pay for .... If you arrange the EPC yourself, you need to find a contract, instruct the contractor, co-ordinate the appointment with the existing tenants, handle any issues when the tenants forget and you have to go and let the EPC inspector in yourself, arrange to get the certificate from the EPC inspector and settle their invoice ..... will save you MONEY (ie: you will be able to buy it for £40) ...... but will cost you TIME etc If you go to a letting agent it will cost you more MONEY .... but save you TIME ..... and you will probably not be invoiced (by the agent) until the first rental payment is processed ..... so you keep you money in your bank account longer (which will improve cashflow). In summary - a letting agent is not necessarily ripping the landlord off by charging a higher fee for an EPC ... because they are also adding value by handling the entire process. Hope that helps ..... Mark I pay £40 inc VAT with an invoice. Mark ....."however you do get what you pay for"... Be serious .....you get a silly bundle of brightly coloured paper, which will go into a file never to be seen again. It is nothing more than a ticket to prevent you from being fined £200 in the unlikely event that you are caught without one. As for saving time - One phone call to DEA (fid a contract ??- what is that about ?), one call to Tenant, EPC & invoice are emailed to me, cheque issued. For £40 -£60 saving per prop, and cutting out the inefficiency of introducing a 3rd party to make a profit from a phone call, I think it is considerably more efficient NOT to entertain usong an agent. I have all my props (that require such ) EPC'd to date NOT once has the stupid thing been requested - even by agents marketing the property for me! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melboy Posted August 9, 2009 Report Share Posted August 9, 2009 £45 inc. VAT 1 phone call... done the same day. Filed...nobody has asked for it and nobody cares. LA's will charge more because they are providing a service package. It came into being through an EU Directive and as much as I hate this present Government it wasn't them BUT like all British Civil servants they can't wait to implement EU law whereas the French just shrug their shoulders and forget about it especially where money is involved. Next is a register of all Landlords....now that is down to Brown and his Incompetents but the information WILL be passed to HMRC to ensure that Tax is being collected. Melv. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest trebor69trebor Posted August 9, 2009 Report Share Posted August 9, 2009 you will find that the guys doing these things are all self employed and a put money on it that one of your neighbours is doing them so go knock his door tell him you pay cash and bob your uncle this is wot i have done £40 no questions asked he even emailed report to letting agent first class. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chestnut Posted August 9, 2009 Report Share Posted August 9, 2009 £50 inc VAT for 2 bed - took 40mins only because I was picking his brains throughout! I agree with above sentiments re. EU Directive (our Gov quick to implement - another excuse to tax us a.s.a.p.), complicated and near meaningless bundle of brightly coloured paper etc. etc., which no prospective tenants have yet asked to see! I arranged the inspection direct having located a licenced inspector living in my town through internet search 'DEA local'. The inspector was very helpful and prepared and able to subsequently by email explain the gobbledegook of results and comments on the standard format certificate, e.g. difference between minor 'recommendations' and major 'higher cost measures' - the cut-off between them (not stated on the form) is apparently ~£500 capital cost. He also supplied me (by request) copies of some of his photos (roof void etc.). I would avoid using an agent for this simple task if at all possible (unless living too far away) because it's a useful opportunity to learn something more about one's property and, agent or not, relatively cheap over 10 years life of certificate. ps. I hear that the Home Inspector/ Energy Assessor business has turned out nowhere near as lucrative as Gov made it out to be and qualified assessors are dropping out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Dewsberry Posted August 9, 2009 Report Share Posted August 9, 2009 I have agreement with DEA at £40 (inc vat) inc HMO's upto 8 bed, of which, i have several Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Dewsberry Posted August 10, 2009 Report Share Posted August 10, 2009 you will find that the guys doing these things are all self employed and a put money on it that one of your neighbours is doing them so go knock his door tell him you pay cash and bob your uncle this is wot i have done £40 no questions asked he even emailed report to letting agent first class. HMM ...so pay cash then ...so that will cost an extra 20-40% as you cannot claim the expense back then ? Also inviting HMRC to question just how many more "cash deals " you are party to?(report present but NO INVOICE) Maybe enough to just get yourself a tax investigation (definately !) ? What a thoroughly stupid idea. As a LL you are in business, this is a perfectly accpetable tax deductable expense ...WHJy would anyone be so silly as to invite a pile of grief over doing somethong which actually costs more to do .....Rob ....find a mirror and take a good hard long look ...if you look for long enough you wont be happy with what you see !!! The Rodent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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