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As things currently stand from June 1, marketed homes will need an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) prepared by a qualified Domestic Energy Assessor (DEA). The government’s approach has been questioned by the Royal Insitute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and is setting up an assessment scheme whereby members can qualify as DEAs.
The government advisory body has indicated to the government to delay the energy certificate as part of the home information pack which is still likely to go ahead from 7 June, the likely delay is to be until November 2007, for the energy certificate to be included within the pack.
Houses which are marketed prior to the 1 June 2007, will not be required to provide a home energy pack. There is likely to be a large influx of properties on the market prior to this date.
Swindon–based Hinton Newport, as part of the Allied Surveyors Group intend to become qualified as energy assessors in order to service their clients, particularly in the estate agency and solicitor fields.
The government thinks that there are enough trained energy inspectors, particularly with the use of Centrica (British Gas) who have 2,000 inspectors apparently already trained.
It is proposed that all houses on the market on 1 June would not need a home information pack unless the property remains unsold after the end of March 2008. This would obviously avoid distorting the market, however we would still anticipate there to be a property void for the period of 6 months after this date.
The trial areas have progressed reasonably however, interestingly purchaser’s solicitors have been wary on relying on prior electronic searches and have been double checking the contents of the home information packs which is doubling the work undertaking and on an average it is taking 10–17 days for homeowners to complete the home information pack for freehold.
Likely on-costs for the seller is to be in the region of £200 however, initially there will be a substantial shortage of home energy surveyors and we anticipate the cost of these surveys to be well in excess of this amount.
Separately the government are moving on to lay down increasing energy measures in the building regulations. They have marked out a programme in the code of sustainable homes issued in December 2006.
These codes are quite detailed and have already added 5per cent on to build costs due to the change in part of (insulation requirements) of the building regulations.
From April 2008 EPCs will be required on commercial properties and local government buildings larger than 10,760 sq ft.
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