Small Detached Houses <50sqm exempt from EPCs (?)

[Ferdinand]

This is mainly for @Crofter, depending on how Wee the new Hoose actually is - put here in case anyone else finds it.

 

In England, detached buildings under 50sqm are exempt from having an EPC done.

https://www.gov.uk/energy-performance-certificate-commercial-property/exemptions

 

If it is also so in Scotland, that could save you a little money and hassle - if you are under 50sqm and so minded.

 

I have one under 50sqm - the detached 48sqm cottage my dad was born in, which is now a rental. I have the EPC number up to 51, and the half of it which has been drylined since about 1984 (25mm eps) was ignored by the EPC man, but that is about the limit of what is achievable practically. When push comes to shove in 2026 I will rely on the exemption rather than make a "too expensive to upgrade it" argument.

 

Quote

You don’t need an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) if you can demonstrate that the building is any of these:

• listed or officially protected and the minimum energy performance requirements would unacceptably alter it
• a temporary building only going to be used for 2 years or less
• used as a place of worship or for other religious activities
• an industrial site, workshop or non-residential agricultural building that doesn’t use much energy
• a detached building with a total floor space under 50 square metres
• due to be demolished by the seller or landlord and they have all the relevant planning and conservation consents

 

Ferdinand

 

 

Edited December 3, 2017 by Ferdinand

[SteamyTea]

How is the total square metreage measured?

Internal habitable space.  My house would sneak in this.

[Ferdinand]

PS There was a thread about work I have done on it on Green Building Forum back in 2013:

 

http://www.greenbuildingforum.co.uk/newforum/comments.php?DiscussionID=11560

[Ferdinand]

18 minutes ago, SteamyTea said:

How is the total square metreage measured?

Internal habitable space.  My house would sneak in this.

 

Sorry ... 'tis for small detached houses. I imagine that the way they measure it is the same as they do when calculating EPCs.

 

Title edited.

Edited December 3, 2017 by Ferdinand

[ProDave]

@Crofter house is built as a "portable building" so comes under the caravan rules so no building control needed and no EPC needed. Indeed try as hard as you like (I did) you won't find anyone prepared to issue an EPC on a "caravan"

 

You can build a single storey building up to 100 square metres (as long as you stick to the maximum dimensions of length, width and height) that is legally a "caravan" so EPC and building regs exempt.

 

There was one featured on Grand Designs a couple of years back where they replaced an old static 'van with a new timber framed modular house built to the maxiimum "caravan" dimensions

[Ferdinand]

Cheers, so already exempt.

[Crofter]

Yes as Dave says I'm already exempt, but that's because it's a portable building, rather than because of its size.

The intenal floor space is about 43m2.

 

Presumably there are downsides to not having an EPC. The first one that comes to mind is that you'd not get various green subsidies/incentives such as FiT, insulation top ups etc.