Updating post from Reddit.
Only had a quick read but seems they also want to remove the exemption for EPC on older buildings.
It's always been a grey area. There's no such exemption in Scotland.
This is likely a good thing. The main people using it is those knowing they could do more without having an effect on the property listed status.
Citation needed*
Micro personal research, personal experience having practiced for some decades dealing with property laws.
I’ve never had it with anything but listed properties, across tens of thousands of transactions. Any listed property which is being managed and modernised where possible without impeding the building itself is getting an EPC. The last run in I had before retiring was a flat claiming the loop, the flat hadn’t been modernised in decades however all the neighbouring properties had EPC. Despite this, the flat said it would damage the property to get an EPC for theirs. Total BS.
Macro research wouldn’t be useful as the loophole only really applies to listed properties so macro data would show EPC not being used exclusively in listed property sales. No value with that, have to look at the micro data for actual insight.
Is this just an excuse to force heat pumps on landlords, regardless if it's suitable for the property? Hello much higher rents, goodbye small landlords.
This is quite strange. It seems to suggest that heritage and listed buildings will require a EPC (they currently don't require one) BUT that the EPC can be customised in some way as to not change the character of the building (which is important for listed buildings)
I interpret that mean the following - example building is listed for its historic appearance, which includes single glazed windows. You can't fit modern double glazing. So instead of no EPC you'll have a EPC that says you can't really weigh the lack of double glazing when determining the EPC score.
Seems a bit of a waste of time to me.
EPCs already have the ability to suppress recommendations where there is documentary evidence that I cannot be completed or inappropriate for a dwelling, it's only an extension of that. Scottish listed buildings have EPCs on sale or rent because they amended their EPB Regulations when implemented.
So it looks like basically any property with a gas boiler will definitely fail at least one metric. Have fun getting all the rented terraced houses in the UK up to speed before 2030.
Doubt we have enough builders in the country if we stopped all other construction including new builds, let alone who can install/service heat pumps (this is a European issue not just British).
The main problem as I see it is there is just tooo much demand for housing and therefore there is no real motivation to upgrade existing houses because a nicely insulated, cheap to run house is just not worth enough compared to existing, poorly insulated expensive to run properties neither in sale or rental markets.
Don't even get me going on how whilst EPC's are a good idea in theory they really are not fit for purpose in reality due to the constant changing of weightings and not having it has 2 numbers one for fabric tother for mechanical systems, let alone the fabric numbers only being by element whereas a new build could be passivhaus with good cold bridging details.