Real examples of how Landlords avoided thousands in unnecessary EPC upgrades
Victorian Terrace, Tiverton
A landlord contacted us after receiving quotations for extensive energy efficiency improvements, including replacing all of the property’s windows. Following our assessment, we identified that the existing windows were not the main factor limiting the EPC rating.
Instead, by prioritising improvements to the loft insulation, heating controls and several lower-cost measures, the landlord avoided replacing windows that were still performing adequately. This reduced the immediate investment by approximately £8,000, while still providing a realistic route towards achieving the target EPC C rating.
The lesson is simple: The most expensive improvement is not always the one that delivers the greatest increase in an EPC score.
Purpose-Built Block of Flats, Plymouth
We were instructed to review a block of flats where the communal corridor was classified as an unheated space. This significantly increased the heat loss from each apartment because the corridor was treated as an external environment within the EPC assessment.
Rather than recommending costly insulation works to the individual flats, we proposed installing a simple electric heater within the communal corridor, controlled by the landlord using a programmable timer and thermostat. By maintaining the corridor at an appropriate background temperature during colder periods, the corridor could be treated as a heated communal space for EPC assessment purposes.
In effect, the corridor became thermally similar to a party wall rather than an external element, reducing calculated heat loss from each adjoining flat.
The result was that the landlord avoided many thousands of pounds of unnecessary improvement works across the block, simply by understanding how the building was assessed and implementing a relatively low-cost solution.
This is a good example of why understanding the assessment methodology can be just as valuable as carrying out expensive building work.
Every property is different, and the most expensive recommendation is not always the one that delivers the greatest EPC improvement. Before committing to costly insulation, replacement windows or heating upgrades, it pays to understand how your property is assessed and where your budget will have the greatest impact. Our Landlord Health Pack provides an independent review of your property’s current EPC, identifies the most cost-effective route towards EPC C, and helps you avoid unnecessary expenditure by focusing on the improvements that matter most.
