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Martin Gibbons

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my expertise in the industry

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As a chartered surveyor I have commissioned a large number of commercial EPCs over the last 16 years, since the UK's EPC National Measurement System started. EPCs have a technical life-span of 10 years, but buildings change over the years and the Government goes to great lengths to keep the national EPC software up-to-date and accurate. It is standard practice in the property industry to commission an up-to-date DRAFT EPC, if a landlord is seeking to upgrade the quality of their rental asset. You do not rely on a document that may have been prepared 9 years ago. Andy Heath is correct in the fact that a EPC is a reflection of the quality of information fed into the calculation. Landlords who actually provide data from their files to the professional energy assessor always end up with better and more accurate EPC Grades. It's like going to your GP if you are ill, NOT speaking to them and then expecting an accurate diagnosis. EPCs and the Conservative's Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES) have been massively successful in steadily improving the quality of rental buildings - driving down running costs for tenants, reducing CO2 pollution and improving thermal comfort for occupiers in both summer and winter months. When David Cameron bought in the MEES standard in 2015 19% of the UK's commercial rental buildings were of appalling quality, being EPC Grade F or G. By 2023 this figure had dropped to practically 0%. In just 8 years commercial landlords have improved something in the order of 200,000 commercial buildings. EPCs and the MEES standard have been a British success story. As Andy says, the trick is to hire a skilled and experienced energy assessor - just as you would do with appointing any other professional service provider.

From: Martin Gibbons 24 April 2024 09:58 AM

It's pretty easy to fix: 1. Install two layers of Rockwool in the loft, one at right angles to the other and padlock the hatch shut 2. Fill the cavity with insulation (unless your house faces the ocean and has appalling brickwork pointing) 3. Install 5cm of Celotex on the inside of external walls and redecorate 4. Philips LED light bulbs in all fittings 5. Buy WindowSkin winter secondary glazing 6. Electrician to fit Dimplex Quantum electric heaters running on Octopus Energy's cheap midnight to 4 am tariff 7. Handyman to install Nuair Drimaster Heat PIV ventilation unit in the hallway with ON/OFF button in a lockable case from SSP Direct - totally eliminates condensation and mould and your washing & towels dry all year round 8. Get a draft predicted domestic EPC from a energy assessor, who is a professional member of PEPA, BEFORE the works and get them back AFTER the works to finalise the new, Lodged 10-year valid EPC. Aim to get BOTH EPC Grades up to C, for the 'running cost' EPC Grade and the 'CO2 pollution' EPC Grade. Both Grades have been clearly shown on a domestic EPC for the past 15 years It's all common sense and will make our PRS and owner occupier housing stock - Fit for Purpose. Long term decisions for a brighter future.

From: Martin Gibbons 06 October 2023 07:56 AM

A number of high profile Labour and Lib Dem politicians have already stated that they will be re-starting the Government's Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard for domestic rental units if/when they win the General Election in May (?) next year. Up until last Wednesday the Conservatives have had a pretty good track record on energy efficiency and had been steadily reducing the stock of the most energy wasteful houses & flats in the PRS. Conservatives bought in the Energy Act in 2011 (outlawing EPC Grade F & G units by 2018), Conservatives bought in the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard in 2015, energy efficiency was at the heart of their 2019 General Election manifesto, the Conservatives issued the Energy White Paper in 2020 detailing the future MEES trajectory to 2030, and finally the Conservatives started the national Energy Efficiency Taskforce in 2022, packing it with energy experts and commercial brain-power. All of this effort has been working, especially in the commercial landlord sector where landlords have been putting their efforts into making their product better rather than moaning on websites. Seems strange that Sunak should do a U-turn. Perhaps he sees more votes from the vocal minority of domestic landlords who own energy wasteful units, rather than the 8 million UK families who lived in fuel poverty last winter and will be again this winter.

From: Martin Gibbons 30 September 2023 20:00 PM

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. There are now 1 million accurate commercial EPCs on the public national database. The EPC for Yarnwicke was calculated using the Level 5 DSM methodology, which is the gold standard for commercial EPCs. This excellent building is already MEES 2030 Compliant. Well done Cluttons on selecting an office HQ that is fit for purpose and future ready.

From: Martin Gibbons 31 August 2023 08:14 AM

So let's express this 'research' in another way: "Agents confirm that an overwhelming majority of home buyers now consider the property's EPC before making an offer. A staggering 75% now rely on the EPC Grade, which shows the all important winter running cost for a house or flat. This is a significant increase since the last agents' agent survey in 2018. Over a third of agents are now convinced that energy efficiency measures in a home will BOOST the property's value. With the cost of living crisis here to stay these are positive and impressive statistics"

From: Martin Gibbons 18 August 2023 08:19 AM

I'm a chartered surveyor, commercial property landlord and domestic property landlord. EPCs are MOST CERTAINLY 'fit for purpose', it's the energy wasteful housing stock (mostly PRS) that is not fit for purpose. It's now widely reported that more than 25% of families in the PRS live in sub-human fuel poverty because their landlords have chosen not to insulate the walls, loft and roof of these units. The Carbonlaces 'research' has been comprehensively picked apart by the professional surveying community. Anyone with any critical intelligence realises that an ACTUAL tenant in an EPC Grade G flat would be using 344% LESS energy than the EPC assumes because an EPC is an ASSET RATING - it has been for 15 years and this is the correct methodology. An ASSET rating assumes that the tenant heats every room to 20 degrees all winter. Of course if you are in a shockingly energy wasteful Grade G flat only a millionaire could afford to heat the whole flat correctly. So what happens? These tenants UNDER HEAT their families by 344% every winter. At most they heat one room and normally they cannot afford to heat even that because the property has NO insulation. The energy assessors I use for my properties are highly professional, attend regular training up-dates, and are routinely & thoroughly audited by the Government. As with any measurement its more accurate if the building owner provides data on their building to the energy assessor. Just like a check-up with a Doctor is more accurate if you talk to the Doctor and provide him with some information. The robust EPC system for commercial rental buildings has been tried and tested for years. That's why there are more then 1 million commercial EPCs on the public database. That's why they are used and relied on by every UK bank for loan security purpose. That's why they are used by RICS Registered Valuers for valuation reports. It's a national system that's working and is the envy of the rest of the world. The 21 million domestic EPCs and the Tory's super simple and effective Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES) means that not a single energy wasteful EPC Grade F or G house, flat or commercial unit has been let to a new tenant since 2018. EPCs and MEES are working, the numbers don't lie. That's why good, forward thinking landlords have been installing LED, electric heat pumps and insulation for YEARS. It's the moaning landlords who have failed to invest in making their product fit-for-purpose that are now getting all upset. We now need to change the main EPC Grade on domestic EPCs to report the CO2 pollution figures as the main coloured graph. This data is already reported half way down the EPC certificate so it just needs to be bought to the top of the EPC. Very simple. This is how's it's been for commercial EPCs for the last 15 years. This would then encourage landlords to install intelligent, efficient electric heating systems in conjunction with insulation to walls, loft and roof. That's what our UK housing stock desperately needs. EPCs are an excellent national measurement system and folk need to focus on making their buildings better rather than trying to find a scapegoat.

From: Martin Gibbons 12 August 2023 10:49 AM

So is this the Trade body that represents the companies who make the kit, that burns the oil, that sends the CO2 pollution straight out of millions of houses' flues, that's causing Earth's climate systems to break-down? Perfectly legal of course, but is it really a sensible thing to be doing? It doesn't matter if you live in a rural house or an urban house - you can still install 2 x layers of new Rockwool insulation in your loft (the 2nd layer at right angles to the 1st), if it's an ugly house you can still install external wall insulation and render, if it's a pretty house you can still install thin aerogel internal insulation or breathable wood fibre internal insulation. You can still install electric air-con splits (these simple machines contain a heat pump that provides winter heating) or Smart phone controlled Quantum electric night storage heaters. Worried about ventilation - just get your handyman to install a 'fit & forget' Nuaire Positive Input Ventilation fan. All very straightforward. Costly and disruptive - oh yes - but so was the transition from the wooden kitchen table to the Wickes fitted kitchen and from the outside privy to the B&Q fitted bathroom. But do you know what - we still managed it!

From: Martin Gibbons 11 July 2023 09:45 AM

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 09:27 AM

A well written article by someone who actually knows some facts. That's refreshing! However, the article headline is absolutely bonkers and totally misleading. Susan does NOT write about 'chaos and confusion' - quite the opposite! We also have to be careful about judging a whole national roll-out of 21,000,000 EPCs (almost entirely accurate) based on a tiny number of less accurate 'exceptions'. No intelligent person would do that. All of my portfolio's EPCs are accurate and well done because I've checked them, just as I check the work of everyone I pay money to. Finally, all of the domestic energy assessors I met over 15 years DO come to the property with a ladder - one of those telescopic surveyor's ladders. Perhaps Susan should invest in one!

From: Martin Gibbons 29 April 2023 10:09 AM

Well done Leaders on taking such care in their recent fit-out. They may now want to commission a new commercial EPC for 8 Buckingham Street, Aylesbury HP20 2LD. On the national EPC database - epcregister . com - the current EPC is a Grade C, which means its NOT MEES 2030 Compliant. The EPC, prepared in 2016, also states that this retail unit burns gas for winter heating which is far from being sustainable due to the amount of CO2 pollution it creates. I'm sure Leaders have fixed these problems and a quick DRAFT commercial EPC will tell them. Would be great to see that EPC move up to a Grade B or even Grade A. Then they can Lodge it for the next 10 years on the national database and proudly stick up a copy of the new certificate in their office. This is what other commercial landlords and tenants are now doing all over the UK. Leaders - go for it.

From: Martin Gibbons 29 March 2023 07:56 AM

Hey 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 01 February 2023 08:35 AM

"Government support", really?? Do we seek Government subsidies/grants to install a new kitchen, buy a new bathroom, decorate our home or buy a new TV? Improving both owner-occupier and rental houses and flats is so blindly obvious for the owner or landlord to use using their own resources. Energy prices will be even higher in the Winter 2023/24. There's never been a better time to upgrade the buildings we own. We wouldn't drive around in a 30 year old car but some folk seem okay to own homes with a 30 year old specification!! 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. I specified that he used Gapotape along the edges of the PIR board to give a nice snug fit between the joists. 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.

From: Martin Gibbons 16 January 2023 10:30 AM

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 09:59 AM

Not sure how a solar panel can increase value by 25% - that sounds a bit incredible. But this is how I greatly improved a rental unit of mine. 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 15 September 2022 08:29 AM

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 16:12 PM

EPCs are here to stay and that's an extremely good thing. At the end of the day an EPC on a home is just a 'first but crucial step' to lowering energy bills and slashing carbon emissions. Getting rid of them would be as bonkers as say, scrapping blood pressure checks because the blood pressure data doesn't lay out the whole, detailed route to becoming healthy. An EPC gives the homeowner information on which to seek further information and take positive action. Solely because of the reliable and standardised EPCs and MEES Regs tens of thousands of landlords have invested in insulation and better heating & lighting dragging their tenants out of fuel poverty and actually IMPROVING their rents, capital values and yields. Lowering tenants' and owner occupiers' energy bills makes great business sense. The good old £65 EPC delivers a trusted 'energy label' now used by millions. Why even talk about stopping something that's actually working!!

From: Martin Gibbons 22 March 2021 13:36 PM

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