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Martin Gibbons
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my expertise in the industry

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Martin Gibbons
Adrian, Robin, 'Annoyed', Peter, Colin - your comments on my post are disrespectful and you clearly have no manners. No one on this website appreciates your childish comments. I thought you'd all be for "Free Speech Nation". I'm both a commercial and residential landlord - have been for 25 years. Are you long-term property investors or just keyboard warriors?

From: Martin Gibbons 19 March 2024 09:40 AM

Martin Gibbons
Whilst we await the RICS Standard, the common-sense solution is to gradually upgrade our PRS stock as units become vacant and proper refurbishments are possible. As a Chartered Surveyor this is what I do: 1. Get draft 'predicted' EPCs from a good, local energy assessor showing a refurb that delivers both a Running Cost EPC of Grade C AND a CO2 Pollution EPC of Grade C. As we all know, the now fit-for-purpose and accurate domestic EPCs show TWO Grades that are measuring quite different things. Some lenders now want EPCs showing both Running Cost Grade C and CO2 Pollution Grade C. 2. Install 5cm sheet of Celotex on the inside of external facing walls and replaster. 3. Install 5cm sheet of Celotex on ceilings and replaster. 4. Fit LED light bulbs in all fittings. 5. Install two layers of Rockwool (one at right-angles to the other) in the loft. 6. Install a Octopus Energy Cosy 6 high temperature electric heat pump and utilise existing wet rads. Use the Government's generous £7,500 boiler replacement 'tax refund' 7. Put a Govee thermometer is each room and link to iPhone. 8. Install a Nuaire Drimaster Heat PIV ventilation unit in the Hallway. 9. Install a Windowskin over any draughty windows. This is how we upgraded all UK homes to a fitted kitchen. This is how we upgraded all UK homes to mains electricity. This is how we upgraded all UK homes to an inside toilet and fitted bathroom. It's really not difficult.

From: Martin Gibbons 19 March 2024 07:35 AM

Martin Gibbons
Can you show a little respect, Haribo. I'm providing a recommendation based on actual experience of using PIV mechanical ventilation in multiple rental units. I have no financial involvement with Nuaire, whatsoever.

From: Martin Gibbons 26 February 2024 08:34 AM

Martin Gibbons
I'm a chartered surveyor and landlord and I've installed the basic Nuaire Drimaster Heat Positive Input Ventilation (PIV) units into my commercial and domestic rental units. They cost a few hundred pounds and my handyman installs them into the ceiling of hallways. Nuaire produce units that hang in a ventilated loft space and also slimline units for flats. The units work brilliantly. Simple and common sense. Social registered landlords have installed 100,000s of PIV units in houses and flats across the UK over the last few years. It's about time the PRS catches up.

From: Martin Gibbons 26 February 2024 07:00 AM

Martin Gibbons
The BRE was hired by HM Government back in the early 2000s to develop the EPC national measurement system. Their advice today is helpful and well timed. As a Chartered Surveyor, commercial landlord and residential landlord I and my clients have used the EPC system over the last 16 years. Let's make no bones about it, EPCs, MEES and the national public database have helped to greatly reduce energy waste, reduce fuel poverty and reduce CO2 pollution. EPCs and MEES have worked and they continue to help improve quality and standards in our national building stock. It's a national succuss story - but as Brits we don't like to admit that we've had a success and or are actually good at something. What is unfathomable is why so many PRS domestic landlords have chosen not to install basic insulation in the walls and lofts of their units and fit a lower running cost central heating system. Doing these simple things, over a period of time, is common sense. Always has been. EPCs are now reliable and accurate if you work with a good assessor and pay them a fee appropriate for a professional service. That's that same with any professional service. We've had the Conservative's excellent Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES) in place for 9 years but still thousands of landlords think it makes long-term investment sense to own a poor-quality asset and have their customers in crippling fuel poverty. The domestic EPC has always told landlords and tenants precisely what they need to know. The headline EPC Grade is the running cost measurement. That's the correct thing to measure for most - my rental occupiers care about winter heating bills and NOT carbon emissions. But if you do care about carbon emissions the certificate has (since 2008) presented a secondary EPC Grade with the CO2 pollution measurement. Sensible landlords look at BOTH EPC Grades and aim to get them BOTH to Grade C or better. I can't believe that there are still some domestic landlords that don't understand the EPC national measurement system.

From: Martin Gibbons 01 February 2024 07:52 AM

Martin Gibbons
I’ve got a lot of time for the PEPA. For the EPCs and advice I commission for my own properties and clients’ buildings, I always ensure that the energy assessors are members of this professional body. They are actual experts in domestic property energy efficiency.

From: Martin Gibbons 02 October 2023 07:31 AM

Martin Gibbons
Thanks Clarke. Glad you’re reading my posts in such great detail. You’ve made my day!

From: Martin Gibbons 29 September 2023 07:44 AM

Martin Gibbons
Gabs, let’s look at the evidence - the ‘voluntarily’ approach doesn’t work. Britain has the most energy wasteful housing stock in the developed world. 8 million families will be living in fuel poverty this winter. Most of them live in PRS houses and flats that are not fit-for-purpose. Have you read the comments from many domestic landlords on this site? They have absolutely no intention of spending their money on improving their assets. No intention of putting 2 x layers of Rockwool in the loft, no intention of insulating walls, no intention of insulating roofs, no intention of installing storage heaters or efficient heat pumps. Why do you think we have food hyiene standards enforced in restaurants, why do you think we have speed limits and speed cameras on the roads outside schools? ‘Voluntary’ have never worked.

From: Martin Gibbons 29 September 2023 07:14 AM

Martin Gibbons
The general election will be in May next year and will be a Labour/Lib Dem coalition.

From: Martin Gibbons 27 September 2023 07:00 AM

Martin Gibbons
That’s right, Timothy, the hands-off approach is working really well. 8 million families couldn’t afford to heat themselves last winter and this winter because their homes (mainly PRS) are so energy wasteful. That’s what fuel poverty means. With the worst performing housing stock in the developed world our Government had to spend £37 billion of taxpayers money on the Energy Price Guarantee to pay for half the energy bill of everyone in the UK last winter. That’s real money taken from hardworking taxpayers that could have been much better spent of tax cuts, filling pot holes and improving our NHS. Landlords clearly don’t need any national Standards to get them to improve the quality of their product and make it fit-for-purpose.

From: Martin Gibbons 22 September 2023 08:16 AM

Martin Gibbons
We live in a strange world where an agent/salesman celebrates his product NOT improving, NOT being fit-for-purpose, NOT being high quality and 8 million of his customers cold and living in fuel poverty (source: Office of National Statistics). Let’s go back to selling rusting British Leyland Maxis and Motorola ‘brick’ phones. Life was so much better back then. “Will the last person to leave please turn off the central heating.”

From: Martin Gibbons 21 September 2023 07:09 AM

Martin Gibbons
Makes sense. Why would any intelligent PRS landlord entertain purchasing a unit that's not fit-for-purpose. Houses and flats with an EPC of Grade E are so energy wasteful that the tenant/customer cannot afford to turn on the heating for the entire winter. They and their children are cold for months and months. Even without the Tory's very successful 2015 Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES) Regs it's clearly crazy own an investment where your customer is so dissatisfied and cold. No business has ever succeeded in the long term by failing to update their product. All of these units can be improved by simply installing external or internal wall insulation (have you read-up on the new slimline Celotex product?), installing 2 x layers of Rockwool in the loft and swapping out dumb electric panel wall rads running on expensive day-time electricity .

From: Martin Gibbons 19 September 2023 07:22 AM

Martin Gibbons
I've seen recent research by the RICS that confirms tenants living in energy wasteful houses and flats are struggling the most to make their monthly rent payments. EPC Grade D & E, and Grade F & G where the landlord has decided to self-exempt themselves from the MEES legislation, is the 'danger zone' for sustainable rent payments. No surprises there - every pound our tenants pay on imported gas and super-expensive to run day-time electric wall heaters is a pound they don't have left to pay rent.

From: Martin Gibbons 12 September 2023 07:39 AM

Martin Gibbons
We've had our electrican install Nuaire Drimaster 'Heat' Positive Input Ventilation (PIV) units in all of our rental houses and flats. Our Building Manager has a rolling calendar reminder to change the filters every 3 years (Nuaire states the filters last 5 years but from our testing this is incorrect). We have fitted locked covers over the ON/OFF switches so our tenants cannot accidently turn off the PIV units. The 'dementia proof' switch covers are from a great company called Security Safety Products. Tenants are now delighted and they washing and bathroom towels dry within hours, no condensation on the windows and no damp/mould in the corners of rooms/backs of wardrobes. Simple, low-cost PIV mechanical ventilation is the fit-and-forget solution to damp and mould. It's not rocket science.

From: Martin Gibbons 11 September 2023 07:46 AM

Martin Gibbons
From what I read in the professional property press it seems pretty certain that the Conservatives are looking at: 1. The Tories excellent, flag-ship legislation of the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard 2015 (MEES) will be slowed down for the domestic rental sector. EPC Grade D, as a minimum by 2028, for new lettings and continuing lettings seems to be their preferred pathway. Grade D is the average grade for a UK home. 2. The sensible MEES self-exemption register will remain in place allowing domestic landlords to continue to rent out their units if the cost of upgrade is prohibitively high. Many landlords have already self-exempted themselves from the MEES Grade E minimum standard. All makes sense. 3. The domestic EPC national measurement system will be bought in line with commercial EPCs and will show the carbon dioxide pollution measure as the primary EPC Grade. The current running cost EPC Grade will also be show. The EPC Recommendations will then NOT recommend the installation of new gas boilers - this is the reform that many Letting Today readers have been calling for. 4. For houses and flats with different heating systems domestic energy assessors will now have to use the Full SAP software which allows for many more inputs and is much more accurate (that's why legally it has to be used for all new housing EPCs). Again this brings domestic EPCs in line with commercial EPCs where, since 2008, complex commercial buildings have had to be assessed by more highly qualified professionals. This all seems rational, appropriate and proportionate. This will help to steadily improve private rental houses and flats over the long-term to be 'fit-for-purpose' for both landlords and tenants.

From: Martin Gibbons 04 September 2023 08:26 AM

Martin Gibbons
From what I read in the professional property press it seems pretty certain that the Conservatives are looking at: 1. The Tory's excellent, flagship legislation of the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard 2015 (MEES) will be slowed down for the domestic rental sector. EPC Grade D, as a minimum by 2028, for new lettings and continuing lettings seems to be their preferred pathway. Grade D is the average grade for a UK home. 2. The sensible MEES self-exemption register will remain in place allowing domestic landlords to continue to rent out their units if the cost of upgrade is prohibitively high. Many landlords have already self-exempted themselves from the MEES Grade E minimum standard. All makes sense. 3. The domestic EPC national measurement system will be bought in line with commercial EPCs and will show the carbon dioxide pollution measure as the primary EPC Grade. The current running cost EPC Grade will also be shown. The EPC Recommendations will then NOT recommend the installation of new gas boilers - this is the reform that many Letting Today readers have been calling for. 4. For houses and flats with different heating systems domestic energy assessors will now have to use the Full SAP software which allows for many more inputs and is much more accurate (that's why legally it has to be used for all new housing EPCs). Again this brings domestic EPCs in line with commercial EPCs where, since 2008, complex commercial buildings have had to be assessed by more highly qualified professionals. This all seems rational, appropriate and proportionate. This will help to steadily improve private rental houses and flats over the long-term to be 'fit-for-purpose' for both landlords and tenants.

From: Martin Gibbons 04 September 2023 07:58 AM

Martin Gibbons
This totally refurbished office building has recently been assessed as EPC Grade A, making it one of the most energy efficient and low carbon emission buildings in London. More and more tenants, such as Cluttons, are demanding EPC Grade A from landlords and developers. The building is also 'All Electric' with no gas burnt at the building. This is future as we move at pace towards a Net Zero Carbon Emission world. The commercial EPC national measurement system has become incredibly accurate over the 15 years since it was launched. The EPCs for Yarnwicke were calculated using the Level 5 EPC methodology which is the gold standard for commercial EPCs. Well done Cluttons on selecting an office HQ that is fit for purpose and future ready.

From: Martin Gibbons 29 August 2023 08:00 AM

Martin Gibbons
Not a thick question at all, Peter. If you are just focussed on 'running cost' then, at the moment, it is still cheaper to burn gas in a combi boiler to power wet radiator central heating compared to heating a house with 'dumb' electric panel wall heaters that use expensive day-time electricity. With these old fashioned electric panel heaters you put in 1kW of expensive day-time electricity but only get out 1kW of heat energy. Over time Governments will tax the burning of gas just as they have taxed the burning of petrol and diesel for many years. But if you want to reduce 'CO2 pollution' then the only game in town is to use electricity to do the heating because the UK's national grid electricity is now becoming very green after successive Governments building massive off-shore wind farms for the last 23 years and with 1,000s more planned to be built in the North Sea. So the answer for UK housing is to insulate houses and flats very well (that's what Social Registered Landlords have been doing for years) and then transition over to 'intelligent' electric heating which means the clever Dimplex Quantum night storage heaters (using the much cheaper night-time tariff) or air-to-air source heat pumps (like the simple Panasonic units) with wall mounted cassettes inside in the living room and bedrooms linked to an electric condenser outside. Remember, the simple and highly effective Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES) Regs will always have the Exemption Register for buildings that will cost too much to improve. If you self-exempt yourself from MEES you can still rent out your property. The Regs have had this sensible 'pressure release valve' built-in since the Tories introduced MEES in 2015.

From: Martin Gibbons 28 July 2023 15:03 PM

Martin Gibbons
Oh Ms Kumar, do you know anything about EPCs? You are comparing an 'asset rating' EPC with an 'operational rating' often called a DEC. They are TOTALLY DIFFERENT!! What your research really highlights are the pensioners, adults and children living in near freezing conditions winter after winter. The EPC is an 'asset rating', always has been, it assumes that the occupier heats their house/flats to 19-20 degrees in the winter. BUT if you are EPC Grade F or Grade G this means your house/flat is SO ENERGY WASTEFUL that you would have to be a multi-millionaire to heat it to 19-20 degrees all winter long. So tenants in these awful homes DON' T HEAT them, THAT'S THE POINT and they live in freezing, sub-human conditions. That's why the EPC Grade is DIFFERENT to the ACTUAL consumption. Only a totally stupid person could fail to work out the maths on this. And thanks to CarbonLaces we now have a number. Poor people living in the worst PRS houses and a flats in the UK under-heat their homes by 344%. Thank you CarbonLaces. You've just made the case for EPCs, MEES, energy efficiency and just about everything else. 8 million families now live in fuel poverty for months and months every winter and it doesn't have to be like this.

From: Martin Gibbons 27 July 2023 18:08 PM

Martin Gibbons
The EPC reform needed is crystal clear. The certificate should display 2 x EPC Grade graphs. The normal 'running cost/fuel poverty' EPC measurement PLUS the 'CO2 pollution/Net Zero' EPC measurement. Both Grades should appear side-by-side at the top of the certificate. This can be actioned at the press of a button. The CO2 Grade measurement is already stated on the certificate but its buried under the 'Impact to the Environment' heading Next - what should be the next step for the very successful Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES). This has already ensured that no new lettings of the most energy wasteful houses and flats have taken place since 2018. It seems prudent that we raise the Minimum Standard to Grade D (for both running cost and CO2 EPC measurements) for all new lettings and continuing lettings from April 2028. One simple step at a time. Let's forget Grade C by 2025 - that's unachievable because the Government has left it too late to confirm the deadline. But EPC Grade D by 2028 is totally doable. Of course, the average EPC Grade of a UK home is already Grade D.

From: Martin Gibbons 27 July 2023 16:30 PM

Martin Gibbons
Be very careful what you wish for, Peter. The Government made the whole EPC national database digital in 2020. This means that at a press of a button they can change the 'running cost/fuel poverty' domestic EPC measurement over to a 'CO2 pollution' measurement. Commercial landlords, like me, have had the 'CO2 pollution' measurement for our EPCs for over 15 years and its now really driving out gas burning boilers from the UK's 1 million commercial rental units. But the transition to low carbon and low running cost housing will continue at pace because UK banks are quickly choking off mortgages and other forms of lending to energy wasteful, high CO2 emission property 'assets'. This has been going on in the commercial property banking sector for years. But please keep burying your head in the sand like landlords in the past did who - refused to install drainage, refused to install bathrooms, refused to install electricity, kept building with asbestos, refused fire compartmentation etc etc. Those guys ended up with some great long-term assets.. NOT.

From: Martin Gibbons 27 July 2023 08:50 AM

Martin Gibbons
But the market is moving at its own pace and it’s accelerating. Tenants and banks don’t want to rent or invest in energy wasteful houses and flats (EPC Grade D and worse). A cold tenant in fuel poverty is bad for business. One of my company’s investors just found Knight Frank in London refusing to take on a flat of his for management because it was not yet EPC Grade C. So he’s had a draft predicted EPC prepared and is insulating one main wall and installing an efficient, ‘fit for purpose’ central heating system. The 22 million EPCs on the public national database have become increasing accurate over the past 15 years and landlords ignore them at their financial peril.

From: Martin Gibbons 23 July 2023 15:01 PM

Martin Gibbons
No, I'm not an energy assessor, I'm a Chartered Surveyor. I can just recognise something good and worthwhile when it's working and I'm cable of independent thought. Matthew - all of the 'early ones' have long since expired! We've had EPCs in the UK for over 15 years and EPCs last for 10 years. My local, EPC guy (who I've actually talked to and gained information from) is audited by the Government, has to go on regular training courses, has passed an exam etc, just like any other professional person - from a Doctor to an MOT test engineer. EPC are ACCURATE otherwise consumers wouldn't pay the £75 once every 10 years for them. Just as you wouldn't pay for a restaurant meal if it was 'wrong'. EPCs and MEES are driving massive positive change and we are allowed to say this.

From: Martin Gibbons 30 June 2023 09:29 AM

Martin Gibbons
Britain's roll-out of 21 million + domestic + EPCs and 1 million + commercial EPCs has already been massively successful . EPCs and the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES) are keeping British families out of fuel poverty and lowering CO2 pollution from our country's stock of old budlings. It's working - simple as that. Not a single EPC Grade F or G house, flat or commercial rental buildings has been lawfully rented out since 2018. Every single lawful continuing tenancy of Britain's most energy wasteful rental houses and flats stopped in April this year. The millions and millions of accurate EPCs on the Government public database are driving positive change and have been consistently for the last 15 years. Mr Leonard should commission a £75 EPC on his own family's home and read the document. He will find that it's packed with specific financial data that he claims that they do not! He's not actually looked at a domestic EPC - that would have been a good thing to do before issuing this Press Release. All that landlords and owner occupiers have to do is to order an EPC from a good, local qualified energy assessor (there are 1000s trained across the UK), insulate walls, loft and roof and install a modern energy efficient heating system. It's not rocket science and 1000s of folk across the UK are taking this action every month.

From: Martin Gibbons 30 June 2023 07:56 AM

Martin Gibbons
I'm having some success in achieving the Decent Homes Standard by installing Nuaire Drimaster Eco Heat Positive Input Ventilation (PIV) units into my flats. From the experience so far they totally eliminate condensation on windows, stops mould in the corners of rooms and tenants report that their towels and clothes washing now actually dry all year round. I've bought lockable covers to go over the power plug/controls from SSP Direct to stop the tenants from switching off the units. SSP Direct make a range of lockable boxes and covers aimed at the dementia community that I've also found with effective in the rental community. I'd like to hear from other landlords about actual solutions they are using to make their houses and flats better long-term investments. It seems that 99.5% of the posts on this platform are moans and complaints which are boring and tedious in the extreme.

From: Martin Gibbons 25 May 2023 08:14 AM

Martin Gibbons
The new MEES Bill is already speeding its way through Parliament. The Minimum Energy Performance of Buildings Bill 2022-23 had its first reading in March this year and the second reading is in November this year. According to my local MP the Bill met with complete cross party support a few weeks ago. The 8 million+ voters living in fuel poverty and the £29 billion Government subsidy paid directly to fossil fuel energy producers (which could have paid for the NHS or tax cuts) has focussed the politicians' minds. The Bill confirms the timetable that all energy wasteful EPC Grade D and Grade E rental houses and flats must be upgraded to Grade C by 2028, at the latest. So that gives domestic landlords a full 5 years to insulate the walls, loft or roof and install lower running cost heating systems into their rental units. It would seem a sensible hedge to invest in an All Electric heating systems (within the well insulated property) because CO2 pollution tax and price rises are clearly on the horizon as we decarbonise the UK Electricity Grid at pace and scale (25% of our nation's electricity demand already met by renewables after 23 years of ringing the British Isles in the world's largest wind farms). Landlords need to get an up-to-date draft 'as is' EPC and then a draft 'predicated' EPC showing the best pathway to reach EPC Grade C. All very simple and easy to do when the unit is vacant and in-between tenancies. Landlords have 5 years to improve their assets and stop energy waste. I wonder how many will get on with this essential work and how many will be moaning and bleating in January 2028 when they realise that they've done nothing over the next 5 years. Of course, they will blame the Greta, Just Stop Oil, the Government, the Opposition, their customer tenants, their managing agent - in fact everyone except themselves.

From: Martin Gibbons 22 May 2023 07:35 AM

Martin Gibbons
I've just given the Bill a quick scan on the Gov website and it confirms the Conservative Government's intention that all PRS stock will have to meet the Decent Homes Standards. This confirms the 'direction of travel' of EPC Grade C as a minimum for all PRS houses and flats. This spells the end of expensive to heat/fuel poverty EPC Grade D and Grade E housing units. When I checked with my local MP she confirmed that The Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard Bill is now almost confirmed as Law, with all domestic rental stock required to to EPC Grade C by December 2028, latest. So we've got 5 1/2 years to insulate the walls, loft or roof and install a cost effective heating system into our units. This is clearly best done when the unit is vacant and in-between tenancies. The American Petroleum Institute's Stanford research paper from 1968, confirming that burning fossil fuels causes climate change, would suggest that investing in a new gas combi boiler is not a wise move. Dimplex Quantum electric night storage heaters or Sinclair electric air-con splits (that provide winter heating via simple internal cassettes) seem like the obvious way forward for us. I've commissioned up-to-date draft EPCs from my energy assessor and asked him prepare draft predicted EPCs to find the least expensive pathway to make my rental units both EPC Grade C AND All Electric. It's a cost but so far all pretty straightforward

From: Martin Gibbons 17 May 2023 08:13 AM

Martin Gibbons
I've just given the Bill a quick scan on the Gov website and it confirms the Conservative Government's intention that all PRS stock will have to meet the Decent Homes Standards. This confirms the 'direction of travel' of EPC Grade C as a minimum for all PRS houses and flats. This spells the end of expensive to heat/fuel poverty EPC Grade D and Grade E housing units. When I checked with my local MP she confirmed that The Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard Bill is now almost confirmed as Law, with all domestic rental stock required to to EPC Grade C by December 2028, latest. So we've got 5 1/2 years to insulate the walls, loft or roof and install a cost effective heating system into our units. This is clearly best done when the unit is vacant and in-between tenancies. The American Petroleum Institute's Stanford research paper from 1968, confirming that burning fossil fuels causes climate change, would suggest that investing in a new gas combi boiler is not a wise move. Dimplex Quantum electric night storage heaters or Sinclair electric air-con splits (that provide winter heating via simple internal cassettes) seem like the obvious way forward for us. I've commissioned up-to-date draft EPCs from my energy assessor and asked him prepare draft predicted EPCs to find the least expensive pathway to make my rental units both EPC Grade C AND All Electric. It's a cost but so far all pretty straightforward

From: Martin Gibbons 17 May 2023 08:13 AM

Martin Gibbons
I've just given the Bill a quick scan on the Gov website and it confirms the Conservative Government's intention that all PRS stock will have to meet the Decent Homes Standards. This confirms the 'direction of travel' of EPC Grade C as a minimum for all PRS houses and flats. This spells the end of expensive to heat/fuel poverty EPC Grade D and Grade E housing units. When I checked with my local MP she confirmed that The Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard Bill is now almost confirmed as Law, with all domestic rental stock required to to EPC Grade C by December 2028, latest. So we've got 5 1/2 years to insulate the walls, loft or roof and install a cost effective heating system into our units. This is clearly best done when the unit is vacant and in-between tenancies. The American Petroleum Institute's Stanford research paper from 1968, confirming that burning fossil fuels causes climate change, would suggest that investing in a new gas combi boiler is not a wise move. Dimplex Quantum electric night storage heaters or Sinclair electric air-con splits (that provide winter heating via simple internal cassettes) seem like the obvious way forward for us. I've commissioned up-to-date draft EPCs from my energy assessor and asked him prepare draft predicted EPCs to find the least expensive pathway to make my rental units both EPC Grade C AND All Electric. It's a cost but so far all pretty straightforward

From: Martin Gibbons 17 May 2023 08:13 AM

Martin Gibbons
I've just given the Bill a quick scan on the Gov website and it confirms the Conservative Government's intention that all PRS stock will have to meet the Decent Homes Standards. This confirms the 'direction of travel' of EPC Grade C as a minimum for all PRS houses and flats. This spells the end of expensive to heat/fuel poverty EPC Grade D and Grade E housing units. When I checked with my local MP she confirmed that The Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard Bill is now almost confirmed as Law, with all domestic rental stock required to to EPC Grade C by December 2028, latest. So we've got 5 1/2 years to insulate the walls, loft or roof and install a cost effective heating system into our units. This is clearly best done when the unit is vacant and in-between tenancies. The American Petroleum Institute's Stanford research paper from 1968, confirming that burning fossil fuels causes climate change, would suggest that investing in a new gas combi boiler is not a wise move. Dimplex Quantum electric night storage heaters or Sinclair electric air-con splits (that provide winter heating via simple internal cassettes) seem like the obvious way forward for us. I've commissioned up-to-date draft EPCs from my energy assessor and asked him prepare draft predicted EPCs to find the least expensive pathway to make my rental units both EPC Grade C AND All Electric. It's a cost but so far all pretty straightforward

From: Martin Gibbons 17 May 2023 08:12 AM

Martin Gibbons
I've just given the Bill a quick scan on the Gov website and it confirms the Conservative Government's intention that all PRS stock will have to meet the Decent Homes Standards. This confirms the 'direction of travel' of EPC Grade C as a minimum for all PRS houses and flats. This spells the end of expensive to heat/fuel poverty EPC Grade D and Grade E housing units. When I checked with my local MP she confirmed that The Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard Bill is now almost confirmed as Law, with all domestic rental stock required to to EPC Grade C by December 2028, latest. So we've got 5 1/2 years to insulate the walls, loft or roof and install a cost effective heating system into our units. This is clearly best done when the unit is vacant and in-between tenancies. The American Petroleum Institute's Stanford research paper from 1968, confirming that burning fossil fuels causes climate change, would suggest that investing in a new gas combi boiler is not a wise move. Dimplex Quantum electric night storage heaters or Sinclair electric air-con splits (that provide winter heating via simple internal cassettes) seem like the obvious way forward for us. I've commissioned up-to-date draft EPCs from my energy assessor and asked him prepare draft predicted EPCs to find the least expensive pathway to make my rental units both EPC Grade C AND All Electric. It's a cost but so far all pretty straightforward

From: Martin Gibbons 17 May 2023 08:12 AM

Martin Gibbons
I've just given the Bill a quick scan on the Gov website and it confirms the Conservative Government's intention that all PRS stock will have to meet the Decent Homes Standards. This confirms the 'direction of travel' of EPC Grade C as a minimum for all PRS houses and flats. This spells the end of expensive to heat/fuel poverty EPC Grade D and Grade E housing units. When I checked with my local MP she confirmed that The Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard Bill is now almost confirmed as Law, with all domestic rental stock required to to EPC Grade C by December 2028, latest. So we've got 5 1/2 years to insulate the walls, loft or roof and install a cost effective heating system into our units. This is clearly best done when the unit is vacant and in-between tenancies. The American Petroleum Institute's Stanford research paper from 1968, confirming that burning fossil fuels causes climate change, would suggest that investing in a new gas combi boiler is not a wise move. Dimplex Quantum electric night storage heaters or Sinclair electric air-con splits (that provide winter heating via simple internal cassettes) seem like the obvious way forward for us. I've commissioned up-to-date draft EPCs from my energy assessor and asked him prepare draft predicted EPCs to find the least expensive pathway to make my rental units both EPC Grade C AND All Electric. It's a cost but so far all pretty straightforward.

From: Martin Gibbons 17 May 2023 06:22 AM

Martin Gibbons
I read an article in one of the RICS professional journals that much of the rent delinquency we are seeing today is due to fuel poverty. Ove 8 million households in the UK are now in fuel poverty and this will continue throughout winter 2023/24 and beyond. A domestic EPC is a simple running cost calculation and there are now 21 million EPCs on the national public database. A good EPC of Grade C and higher means the tenant can probably afford to heat most of the rooms in the house/flat without going into debt. An energy wasteful unit with an EPC of Grade D or E (all Grade F and G units were officially outlawed on 1 April 2023) means that the tenant can probably only heat one room (max), will be in crippling fuel poverty and seeking a better house/flat to accommodate themselves and their family. For my domestic rental portfolio I hired a very good domestic EPC assessor to prepare up-to-date draft 'as is' EPCs and then a set of draft 'predicted' EPCs showing the most cost effective route to achieve EPC Grade C. This has always been a combination of installing lower running cost heating systems and insulation into the walls, loft and roof (for my room in the roof units). Over several years I and my business partner have now got the lot up to EPC Grade C. So far none of our tenants are behind in their rental payments and this set of assets are now MEES Compliant into the future.

From: Martin Gibbons 12 May 2023 07:36 AM

Martin Gibbons
Well these Tory MPs can't be complaining about the energy efficiency and EPCs of their own rental units. I'm certain that they've already upgraded their energy wasteful EPC Grade D and Grade E rental houses and flats to achieve Grade C. David Cameron's Conservative Government introduced the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES) in 2015, rapidly improving the UK's 'fuel poverty' housing stock is in the Conservative's 2019 Manifesto and they have successfully rolled-out the EPC national public database with over 21 million domestic EPCs and over 1 million commercial EPCs. These initiatives have already improved or outlawed the worst EPC Grade F and Grade G rental properties. Our Tory MPs seem to be doing a good job in this particular area.

From: Martin Gibbons 11 May 2023 09:46 AM

Martin Gibbons
I'm so pleased that I attended a CPD lecture from Franklins Solicitors in Milton Keynes back in 2015 when the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES) Regs came into force. The penny dropped that this was the State's direction of travel for sorting out the energy wasteful stock of house/flats in PRS. Thanks to the Conservative Government giving all UK landlords plenty of written notice and encouragement, for the last 8 years I've been improving my commercial and residential rental portfolio. I, like thousands of other landlords, focus investment when the unit is vacant and between tenants. Insulation to the walls (I've used cavity, external and internal over the years), 2x layers of Rockwool in the loft (and the hatch security bolted down so the tenants can't wreck my work) and install a lower running cost heating system (use to be gas combi - more likely these days smart phone controlled night storage heaters on the super low cost night-time tariffs). Throughout the past 8 years I've always had a draft predicted EPC carried out before the works and I and my business partner are constantly speaking to tradesman about better and cheaper upgrade options. It's strange that only 16% of landlords pick the brains of property professionals. This would seem the obvious thing to do.

From: Martin Gibbons 20 April 2023 07:25 AM

Martin Gibbons
What this report fails to highlight are the thousands and thousands of residential landlords who identified this issue years ago and who have been working methodically and diligently to improve their rental units. EPCs came in 15 years ago, MEES Regs went live 8 years ago, its been totally illegal to receive rent from a tenant in an EPC Grade F or G house/flat for over 3 years. Let's be frank - rental units that are EPC Grade D or worse means the tenant is almost certainly living in fuel poverty, cannot heat themselves/family properly and cannot afford even an inflationary rent increase. Bad for them and very bad for the landlord. None of this is new news and the vast majority of landlords who attend CPD sessions organised by their solicitor, actually READ professional journals (rather than the web echo-chambers) have been improving their units over many years. Energy wasteful units (EPC Grade D or worse) are NOT fit-for-purpose and make terrible 'investment assets' for landlords. A domestic EPC is a straightforward running cost calculation and there are 21+ million on the public, national database. Long-term landlords get a draft predicted EPC done by a local energy assessor - insulate the walls and loft of their units and install a modern, efficient heating system such a gas combi or Dimplex night storage heaters (have you seen the low cost of night-time electricity thanks to the Government, Crown Estate and Orsted ringing the British Isles with off-shore wind turbines over the past 23 years?). Rational landlords have been 'getting on with it' for years and we're not stopping!

From: Martin Gibbons 19 April 2023 08:46 AM

Martin Gibbons
Its a shame that a few residential landlords are giving up on the businesses that could give them income for life. I have a rental unit in Stevenage that had an EPC of Grade E. My tenant had moved out to FTB a brand new flat. I took the opportunity to get a plasterer to install Recticel Instafit slimline insulation panels on all of the internal walls (those on the external elevations) because I couldn't get the other long leaseholders to jointly pay of cavity wall insulation, I took out the old gas combi boiler (that had been giving me problems) and got my electrician to install just two Dimplex Quantum night-storage heaters and an Economy 7 hot water tank. I've had the flat's EPC re-assessed and its now an EPC Grade C. With the proposed MEES legislation soon with us this unit is now "fit-for-purpose" for many years to come. I started the process by getting a draft predicted EPC from my long-time energy assessor who guaranteed the final EPC Grade C outcome. I'm close to signing a long-term lease with a supported living provider who will putting a disabled tenant into this flat. I can't understand why landlords are giving up when the solutions are pretty straight-forward.

From: Martin Gibbons 17 April 2023 07:28 AM

Martin Gibbons
Its a shame that a few residential landlords are giving up on the businesses that could give them income for life. I have a rental unit in Stevenage that had an EPC of Grade E. My tenant had moved out to FTB a brand new flat. I took the opportunity to get my plasterer to install Recticel Instafit slimline insulation panels on all of the internal walls (those on the external elevations) because I couldn't get the other long leaseholders to jointly pay of cavity wall insulation, I took out the old gas combi boiler, that had been giving me problems, and got my electrician to install just two Dimplex Quantum night-storage heaters and an Economy 7 hot water tank. I've had the flat's EPC re-assessed and its now an EPC Grade C. With the proposed MEES legislation soon hitting us this unit is now fit-for-purpose for many years to come. I started the process by getting a draft predicted EPC from my long-time energy assessor who guaranteed the final EPC Grade C outcome. I'm close to signing a long-term lease with a supported living provider who will putting a disabled tenant into this flat. I can't understand why landlords are giving up when the solutions are pretty straight-forward.

From: Martin Gibbons 17 April 2023 07:26 AM

Martin Gibbons
I, as a professional commercial and residential landlord, totally disagree with Ben Quaintrell. Rental houses and flats that are not already EPC Grade C are energy wasteful and NOT fit-for-purpose. These rental units have no place in our national's private rental sector. Tenants who live in these sub-standard buildings are in terrible fuel poverty. Before the war started 3 million UK families lived in fuel poverty and that number has now risen to 8 million. This is not good for business. I and thousands of other landlords have reinvested into our assets over a long period of time and now have portfolios of energy efficient, high quality houses and flats that tenants can actually afford to heat during the winter. The Government has given landlords masses of notice. EPCs came in 15 years ago. The MEES legislation went on the Statute books 8 years ago. How long do landlords need to insulate the walls and roof of their rental assets and install a modern, efficient heating system?? Commission a draft 'as is' EPC from a decent energy assessor, work with them to produce a draft 'predicted' EPC that gets you to EPC Grade C and then carryout the works. How difficult is that. In my experience that moaners are those amateur landlords who think being a landlord is dead easy 'passive income' and you can get away without re-investing a penny back into the asset that gives you income. No sound business runs like that but a few (vocal) Buy-To-Let landlords think they can keep 100% of the rental income year after year. Business doesn't work like that and they will have their wealth removed from them by legislation, but most importantly by the market.

From: Martin Gibbons 14 April 2023 09:32 AM

Martin Gibbons
It seems very strange that Leaders have not updated the commercial EPC for 8 Buckingham Street, Aylesbury HP20 2LD. Especially after they've carried out all this positive re-fit work. Looking at the national database it's still the old EPC, prepared in 2016. The Lodged EPC is not Grade B and therefore this shop is not MEES 2030 Compliant under the Government's proposed regulations. The current EPC states that Leaders Aylesbury shop burns gas for winter heating. Its quite a stretch to call yourself 'carbon neutral' if you are still burning fossil fuels and creating a large amount of CO2 pollution. Commercial landlords and tenants are now rapidly moving over to electric air-con splits (heat pumps) and signing-up for a 100% renewable electricity tariff. This a good route to achieve net-zero carbon emissions in operation. I hope Leaders have done away with the gas at their Aylesbury branch and moved over to just electric air-con splits. It would then make sense to commission an up-to-date EPC and show the world that their EPC is Grade B - MEES 2030 Compliant - and All Electric.

From: Martin Gibbons 12 April 2023 07:30 AM

Martin Gibbons
This was all predictable several years ago. The Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES) went on to the UK statute book some 8 years ago but sadly a few short-sighted 'it will all go away' landlords chose not to reinvest into their assets and stop their houses and flats from being energy wasteful. As contributors to LettingAgentToday said several years ago these landlords will have their wealth removed from them by the Legislation, and now increasingly by the Market. Every pound that our tenants spend on gas in an energy wasteful house/flat is a pound that they don't have left to pay the rent or afford an inflationary rent increase. A domestic EPC is a straightforward Running Cost Calculation (nothing to do with carbon emissions). I'm told that our civil servants chose this methodology back in 2008 because folk worried more about energy bills rather than CO2 - I don't think its actually changed some 15 years later. The required once every 10 years £75 domestic EPC certificate never claimed to solve a climate emergency or reduce adult obesity - but it does show a tenant or owner occupier if they will be living in fuel poverty or not. Anyway, I've gradually sorted my domestic rentals and got them all up to EPC Grade C - so I'm already MEES 2025/28 Compliant. I even had a tenant thank me for the work I'd organised on the flat she rents when my builder added Recticel Instafit insulation panels (from B&Q) to the internal walls before undertaking some periodic redecoration works. Wonders will never cease! Happy Easter holidays everyone

From: Martin Gibbons 03 April 2023 07:42 AM

Martin Gibbons
EPCs came in 15 years ago (a national public database of 21 million domestic EPCs and 1 million commercial EPCs has now been built for UK plc). The MEES Regs went live 8 years ago. The cost of wood, coal, oil, gas and electricity has been bloody expensive FOREVER. Oh yes, I can see that a small number of short-term thinking landlords haven't had enough time to reduce the energy waste from their domestic rental units. But for the vast majority of professional residential and commercial landlords improving our investment assets year on year is a baked-in part of our business plan.

From: Martin Gibbons 15 March 2023 07:32 AM

Martin Gibbons
More wise words about making domestic rental units better, reducing energy waste and improving the 21 million EPCs built-up over the last 14 years on the public national database. I've actually met Nicky Stevenson and she is one of the most intelligent, forward-thinking property professionals in our industry. There are, sadly, a tiny minority of domestic landlords who don't 'get it' but the asset value of their units is diminishing all the time. The Big 7 mortgage lenders in the UK are steadily making is more difficult to get a new mortgage or re-mortgage on houses and flats with awful EPC Grades. Makes sense - would you want to co-invest your capital in poor quality, poor performing assets that tenants don't want? I hope everyone reading Landlord/LettingAgent Today has got their own family home energy efficient and Lodged an EPC of Grade C or better on the national database. I have and so have other landlords that I do business with. I'm not thinking of selling or re-mortgaging my family home but as EPCs last for 10 years it's crackers not to get ahead of the inevitable problem if I fail to take action.

From: Martin Gibbons 14 March 2023 15:49 PM

Martin Gibbons
I don't know a single, well-informed domestic landlord who has not already improved their stock up to EPC Grade C. Its so blindingly obvious. Why would we want our customers living in fuel poverty, spending money on gas and electricity (that goes straight off to Norway and Qatar) when that money would be better spent on some rent increases - or just paying the current rent! EPCs came in in 2008, the MEES Regs came in the 2015, the Government has done the right thing and given all landlords, both domestic and commercial, bags of notice - 8 years to be precise. The only landlords I've seen that push back on making their assets better and fit-for-the-future, are the tiny minority on this website! I sometimes doubt that these contributors are actually landlords at all. They don't seem to be rational, well informed or invest for the long-term. I think they may be in the wrong business. The Sunday Times article is interesting because, from what I've read in the professional property press this week, their whole so-called analysis has back-fired and actually proved the positive case for EPCs, not the reverse. Their evidence shows that folk living in the worst houses and flats in the UK use less energy than the EPC model would suggest. WOW, really??!! Well, the EPC model assumes that the tenant heats the whole property to 20 degree all winter long. Only Jeff Bezos could afford to heat an EPC Grade F or G house all winter long. That's precisely the point. The tenants living in EPC Grade E, F and G homes ONLY HEAT ONE ROOM, and they don't do that very often. CarbonLaces have PROVED how accurate EPCs are and their 'research' proves that 8 million families are today living in terrible fuel-poverty. Which means they don't have the CASH TO PAY THE RENT. I, and every professional landlord I do business with, will continue to improve our investment assets through careful energy efficiency upgrades. Normally best done when the unit is in between tenancies.

From: Martin Gibbons 02 March 2023 07:26 AM

Martin Gibbons
Propertymark - keep up with the times guys!! The Government is launching the Eco Plus scheme in just a few weeks time. Lots of grants, subsidies and handouts that Propertymark has been calling for. The Government is dumping 'Helicopter Cash' on those who want to improve their rental investment properties and their own homes. It's NOT means tested and you just need to be EPC Grade D or lower and be a in lower Council Tax band. Propertymark, your market intervention dreams have come true!! Will you be issuing a Press Release saying how POSITIVE you think Eco Plus will be and that the Government has actually listened and acted? Bet you don't. 21,000,000 domestic EPCs now on the national database - epcregister . com 1,000,000 commercial EPCs now on the national database - about 95% of all commercial rental buildings Domestic landlords have to pay £65 once every 10 years for an EPC. It's the lowest cost compliance inspection we have to obtain. The robust national database is the greatest detailed survey of the country's building stock since William the Conqueror commissioned the Domesday Book in 1086. It was used after the Grenfell Tower disaster to accurately identify all high-rise apartment blocks. This information was obtained for the Prime Minister within 60 minutes of her request. The straightforward domestic EPC is a 'running cost' calculation. It has been since 2008. Occupiers of houses and flats firstly want to know their likely energy bills NOT carbon dioxide emissions. The certificate is very much 'fit for purpose'. It always has been. They are prepared by a nation-wide group of trained and qualified energy efficiency assessors who are audited by the Government to ensure accuracy. Have anyone on this site actually spoken to their energy assessor or paid extra for their professional advice? I have on many occasions for my rental units. The commercial EPC is a 'carbon dioxide' calculation. The clear MEES Regs for commercial buildings has already and will continue to massively improve the UK building stock. Solely because of EPCs and MEES I have been improving my commercial rental units, with the aim to get them all up to Grade B within the next 3 years.

From: Martin Gibbons 31 January 2023 07:32 AM

Martin Gibbons
The Portico website has their Fulham branch at 843 Fulham Road, London SW6 5HJ. The Government's national EPC database at epcregister . com shows a brand new commercial EPC for this building of Grade D. Grade D is barely the average EPC Grade for a commercial building in the UK. The Government's proposed MEES Regulations states that all commercial rentals must be Grade C by April 2027 latest and Grade B by April 2030 latest. They may have nice office chairs but the publicly available EPC seems to show the branch is not at all energy efficient. I think Romans Leaders should be focusing on improving the Grade of the statutory EPC on this branch.

From: Martin Gibbons 16 January 2023 09:54 AM

Martin Gibbons
I've posted this before but I've taken this matter into my own hands. I haven't got time to wait for the Government I have a 3-bed rental, built in 1959 and it's not Listed. It was an EPC Grade E and my tenant was complaining of high energy bills last winter. 1. I got my domestic EPC assessor to prepare a draft 'as is' EPC and a draft 'predicted' EPC for the house based on the refurb I was planning to do. 2. My handyman installed 100mm of loft insulation between the joists and then an extra 200mm layer of loft insulation at right angles across the joists. This is current Building Regs standard for a new house. Loft insulation is £24 for a big roll at B&Q 3. I had a Google Nest thermostat/timer installed. I ordered this direct from Google and a professional installer fitted it within the price. 4. My plumber installed TRVs on all the rads and showed the tenant how to use them. 5. My electrician fitted a 'kill switch' by the front door wired into the lighting circuits of the Distribution Board. As the tenant leaves the house one push of the button turns off all the lights in the house. Very simple and effective. 6. My handyman changed all non-LED lamps over to Philip LED lamps 7.I had already got my handyman to install solid insulation board between the joists on the ground floor prior to some recarpeting that I did a few years ago. 8. Pioneer Insulation fitted external wall insulation around the walls. This was a big investment but the house now looks brand new and it's a unit that I'm holding long-term. 9. I couldn't justify the expense of new windows so I bought 'poor man's' secondary glazing from a small British company called WindowSkin. I used their product before to cover a large sash window in the winter in a draughty office that I use to rent. It's a custom cut piece of totally clear Perspex that clips on the inside of the window frame in winter to cut out 100% of window draughts. Stores under a bed in the summer. 10. Whilst we were at it my handyman installed a Nuaire DriMaster Heat Positive Input Ventilation (PIV) unit up in the ventilated loft with a outlet in the 1st floor landing ceiling. The tenant was moaning about condensation and being unable to dry clothes/towels. This simple fit-and-forget unit has totally solved these problems. 11. My EPC assessor came back after I had completed these works and gave the house an EPC Grade B by one point (score 81)). This certificate stays on the national database for the next 10-years. My mortgage broker expects to be able to get a better rate for me now that I have a 10-year valid EPC Grade B when I have to refinance next year. The above project took me about 10 x phone-calls and 2 x site visits to sort out. It really wasn't that onerous and I was surprised how straightforward it was after I’d done the initial research I'm now close to finishing a similar package of works on my own family home – this will raise it from an EPC Grade E to a Grade C and will start to really reduce my energy bills in the next few weeks.

From: Martin Gibbons 14 September 2022 14:09 PM

Martin Gibbons
But strangely there is NO commercial EPC on this retail unit. At epcregister . com there is a not-so-good EPC Grade E for the offices above 119-120 Western Road but nothing at all for the refurbished shop unit! Come on Leaders it doesn't take much to commission a new EPC on a retail unit. There are over 1 million commercial EPCs on the national database and over 20 million domestic EPCs. Commercial landlords AND tenants are getting their buildings up to EPC Grade B and Grade A.

From: Martin Gibbons 12 September 2022 07:44 AM

Martin Gibbons
Michaela, the whole external wall insulation project was circa £25,000. The house was not a looker prior to the works but with the new render it now looks brand-new and very smart. This house is a long-term hold in my portfolio.

From: Martin Gibbons 08 September 2022 09:29 AM

Martin Gibbons
Tenant pays for the small amount of electricity that the PIV unit uses. The ventilation fan runs silently 24/7/365 at a max of 15 watts. There is 400w heater built-in to the unit that only comes on automatically when air in the loft is very cold. This heater then tempers the incoming the fresh air. The tenant is fully aware of the small running costs and is delighted that the running condensation on the windows is a thing of the past, the family's clothes actually dry on an airer and their towels dry. Just check out the videos on the Nuaire website if you want to know how it works. From memory my handyman installed 80mm of rigid foam board between the ground floor joists before we did the re-carpeting project.

From: Martin Gibbons 08 September 2022 09:27 AM

Martin Gibbons
I have a 3-bed rental, built in 1959 and it's not Listed. It was an EPC Grade E and my tenant was complaining of high energy bills last winter. I give the following information to readers free of charge because it's worked very nicely for me 1. I got my domestic EPC assessor to prepare a new draft 'as is' EPC and a draft 'predicted' EPC for the house based on the refurb I was planning to do. 2. My handyman installed 100mm of loft insulation between the joists and then an extra 200mm layer of loft insulation at right angles across the joists. This is current Building Regs standard for a new house. Loft insulation is £24 for a big roll at B&Q 3. I had a Google Nest thermostat/timer installed. I ordered this direct from Google and a professional installer fitted it within the price. 4. My plumber installed TRVs on all the rads and showed the tenant how to use them. 5. My electrician fitted a 'kill switch' by the front door wired into the lighting circuits of the Distribution Board. As the tenant leaves the house one push of the button turns off all the lights in the house. Very simple and effective. 6. My handyman changed all non-LED lamps over to Philip LED lamps 7.I had already got my handyman to install solid insulation board between the joists on the ground floor prior to some recarpeting that I did a few years ago. 8. Pioneer Insulation fitted external wall insulation around the walls. This was a big investment but the house now looks brand new and it's a unit that I'm holding long-term. 9. I couldn't justify the expense of new windows so I bought 'poor man's' secondary glazing from a small British company called WindowSkin. I used their product before to cover a large sash window in the winter in a draughty office that I use to rent. It's a custom cut piece of totally clear Perspex that clips on the inside of the window frame in winter to cut out 100% of window draughts. Stores under a bed in the summer. 10. Whilst we were at it my handyman installed a Nuaire DriMaster Heat Positive Input Ventilation (PIV) unit up in the ventilated loft with a outlet in the 1st floor landing ceiling. The tenant was moaning about condensation and being unable to dry clothes/towels. This simple fit-and-forget unit has totally solved these problems. 11. My EPC assessor came back after I had completed these works and gave the house an EPC Grade B by one point (score 81)). This certificate stays on the national database for the next 10-years. My mortgage broker expects to be able to get a better rate for me now that I have a 10-year valid EPC Grade B when I have to refinance next year. The above project took me about 10 x phone-calls and 2 x site visits to sort out. It really wasn't that onerous and I was surprised how straightforward it was after I’d done the initial research I'm now close to finishing a similar package of works on my own family home – this will raise it from an EPC Grade E to a Grade C and will start to really reduce my energy bills in the next few weeks..

From: Martin Gibbons 08 September 2022 07:06 AM

Martin Gibbons
For the life of me I can't understand what all the fuss is about landlords not being able to improve the energy efficiency (and therefore the EPC) of their investment buildings. I, like thousands of other professional landlords, realised this when EPCs were introduced way back in 2008. It not like the Government has sprung it on us! Over the years I've been spending some of my annual rental income on improving loft insulation and cavity wall insulation. I've used external wall insulation on one of my properties - the EPC up-lift for me and energy cost saving for the tenant have been extremely good. I've recently installed Dimplex Quantum night storage heaters in a rental flat. I've helped my tenant sign-up to an off-peak electricity tariff, which is a fraction of the cost of expensive 'day time' electricity'. Night storage heaters have come on massively since the 1980s and retain the heat all day whilst the tenant is out at work. It's a pile of bricks in a steel box and is ideal for rental homes where the tenant can be less than careful. A domestic EPC is an energy COST calculation, the worse the Grade the more my tenant has to pay to the NPower, British Gas (and indirectly the Qatari Royal Family and Vladimir Putin) and the less money they have to pay my rent. It makes good financial sense to drive down the money my tenants have to pay in energy costs. Don't landlords on this Blog understand this? Every single resi landlord mate of mine in the Thames Valley has either fixed-up their houses and flats to EPC Grade C or long since sold their 'difficult' assets and reinvested the capital in energy efficient homes (which can indeed be both older or modern buildings) For me and other professional landlords this simply is not an issue and not a problem. Relaxing Planning regulations so I and others can build a few more houses and flats for renters would be a far better issue for us all to campaign on. Domestic EPCs and MEES is NOT what rational landlords worry about.

From: Martin Gibbons 16 February 2022 07:19 AM

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