Preparing for an inspection

• Do you have instruction to inspect

• Have you got terms and conditions

• Fees paid

• Access details confirmed

• Preparing for an inspection – what do you investigate

• Equipment – What do you need and is it ready

• Pro-forma

• Who to inform before you get there/leave

• Location of site – do you know where you are going

Investigations before inspecting

• Investigation before leaving for inspection

• Development – Planning Control

• Construction - Building Control

• Other web based resources

• National Standards require DEAs to carry out pre-inspection investigations to determine:

– If inspection should proceed

– If statutory requirements make EPC mandatory

– Other…

Disclosing interests• A DEA must be satisfied that the seller is being or has been

provided with written information concerning whether the [DEA] has any personal or business relationship

• A [DEA’s] offer, to sellers to perform services whether direct or through a third party, must be clear and truthful and contain all relevant pre-contractual information.

• In the live software you will have the following options

Transaction Type

• A marketed sale is typically a dwelling being sold on the open market and currently requires an Energy Performance Certificate.

• Non-marketed sale includes properties such as ‘right-to buys’

• Rental ( social ) refers to Local Authority and Housing Association housing stock

• Rental ( private ) also includes institutions such as universities

• The Not sale or rental option is available when an EPC may be issued for a property regardless if whether the dwelling is being sold or rented.

Terrain Type• Terrain type is recorded in a survey to determine the average wind

speed at the property, which can then be used to calculate the benefit of a wind turbine.

• If a property does not have a wind turbine, the terrain type must still be recorded in order to calculate the potential savings of installing the wind turbine for recommendations.

– Dense Urban - An area with closely spaced properties over 4 floors, generally city centres

– Low Rise Urban or Suburban - This usually relates to most properties in towns and cities, with several well spaced, neighbouring properties

– Rural - This refers to properties neighbouring areas of open land

Planning

• In order to do certain things in or on the land, you may need planning permission under the Town & Country Planning Act 1990

• You can check new build and information on extensions, new windows and other planning information from the Local Authority Building and Planning control website

• If you are not sure of the Authority responsible, you can visit www.planningportal.gov.uk to check if there are any issues around a property regarding planning, you need to check the local authority building control section and search for planning records

Conservation areasAn area designated by the Council under the Town and

Country Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990

• Possesses special architectural or historical interest or an area where appearance is desirable to preserve or enhance

• Awarded protected status in order to ensure that natural features or biota are safeguarded

• Council seeks to preserve and enhance the character and appearance of these areas

• This affects your recommendations report

Grades for Listed Buildings

Grade 1 - buildings of exceptional interest

• Grade II* - particularly important buildings of more than special interest

• Grade II - buildings of special interest

• A building or other structure officially designated as being of special architectural, historical or cultural significance

• ** this is also important for checking your recommendations

Property Investigations

• Property age – www.old-maps.co.uk is a useful tool if you cannot be sure of building age.

• Enter the post code intothe website and the redspot indicates the location of the property on a modern map

• On the right of the page select old maps of the same location

www.old-maps.co.uk

• The same location shows housing on the 1916-1918 map Look at an earlier map to see if there was housing on the site prior to this date

www.old-maps.co.uk

• This 1906-1907 map, shows there was no housing at this location, indicating that the property was built some time between 1907 and 1916 so can be entered in the 1900-1929 age band