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A candid blog on the world of Energy Performance Certificates

Code for Sustainable Homes to be Launched 1st May 08

By MikeC (Admin) on 28-Feb-08 14:38. Remarks (3)

A rating on all newly built homes against the Code for Sustainable Homes (CSH) will be required from May 1st 2008, the Housing Minister, Caroline Flint, has announced.

DEA Terms and Conditions - Getting it Right

By MikeC (Admin) on 27-Feb-08 18:54. Remarks (0)

Domestic Energy Assessors have to somehow comply with a multitude of legal contracts - Some of which may contravene others... including the terms of your accreditation scheme! Dawn Pillans has been looking at this from the start.

Another Commercial Buildings Code Announced!

By MikeC (Admin) on 26-Feb-08 18:48. Remarks (0)

In addition to the Energy Savings Trust and British Gas EPC imitations, the commercial sector can now look forward to a new buildings code which claims to be easier to understand than the DEC and EPC - Great!

It's the Big ONE!

By MikeC (Admin) on 25-Feb-08 15:49. Remarks (3)

My journey into the world of the Energy Performance Certificate is one year old. What a journey!

How-to Measure Property Dimensions Accurately

By MikeC (Admin) on 21-Feb-08 18:25. Remarks (1)

Know your Gross Internal Area from your Net Internal Area? Quidos publishes its free Q-mark Code of Measuring Practice for Domestic Energy Assessors and Floor-planners

Assessor Numbers for Commercial, Rented and Social Property?

By MikeC (Admin) on 19-Feb-08 18:12. Remarks (0)

The Housing Minister responds to a question asking how many energy assessors will be needed for the commercial, rental and social housing property sectors... kind of!

Commercial EPC Launch Date Under Pressure

By MikeC (Admin) on 15-Feb-08 17:10. Remarks (7)

Seven weeks before the first tranche of non-domestic buildings fall under EPC regulations and only now are training courses becoming available - 10 week courses!

G-LEC: £50k Earnings Advert Banned

By MikeC (Admin) on 13-Feb-08 15:24. Remarks (0)

DEA training course provider, g-lec Skills Academy, has been ordered by the Advertising Standards Authority to quit using adverts that promise £50k earnings

Petition Alert: End First Day Marketing (FDM)

By MikeC (Admin) on 12-Feb-08 17:49. Remarks (3)

Plucky DEA, Charlotte Lawrance, is petitioning the Government to end First Day Marketing (FDM) on 1st April 2008 stating DEAs have been penalised enough.

Home Information Packs Do Work - Real Case Studies

By MikeC (Admin) on 07-Feb-08 16:42. Remarks (2)

Real case studies demonstrating how Home Information Packs (HIPs) revealed serious instances of property ownership errors.

Quidos and HES Reach Agreement

By MikeC (Admin) on 06-Feb-08 18:02. Remarks (0)

Quidos Ltd have agreed to a payment proposal from Home Energy Surveys Ltd (HES) to settle outstanding DEA training debts by March 4th 2008

DEA Life in 6 Words

By MikeC (Admin) on 05-Feb-08 10:51. Remarks (6)

Just for fun! Describe your journey as a DEA in 6 words

Minister Admits Drop Dead Date Under Review

By MikeC (Admin) on 02-Feb-08 17:09. Remarks (0)

Housing Minister Caroline Flint admits the Govt is now "thinking" about whether a HIP should be required before a home can be marketed from June 1st 2008

IDEA Conference 11th June 2008

By MikeC (Admin) on 01-Feb-08 17:57. Remarks (0)

The Institute of Domestic Energy Assessors has announced it will hold its first conference on 11th June 2008 at the National Self Build and Renovation Centre.

First Day Marketing: Hello?

By MikeC (Admin) on 01-Feb-08 15:07. Remarks (4)

DEAs were concerned when the Drop Dead Date of HIPs was pushed back to June 1st 08, yet have remained silent in spite of campaign to abolish it permanently!

New DEA Accreditation Scheme - Stroma

By MikeC (Admin) on 30-Jan-08 15:20. Remarks (10)

Stroma Technology Ltd have quietly been approved as an accreditation scheme by the CLG... but British Gas, they say, is definitely not approved!

Law Society Gets Behind HIPs

By MikeC (Admin) on 29-Jan-08 15:58. Remarks (0)

Law Society encourages homeowners to get a HIP and warns against not using a solicitor.

HIPs: Abolish First Day Marketing (FDM)

By MikeC (Admin) on 28-Jan-08 18:50. Remarks (3)

They're at it again! SPLINTA and Trevor Kent launch new desperate campaign to knock Home Information Packs into disrepute

EU States Slow to Adopt EPC Scheme

By MikeC (Admin) on 28-Jan-08 17:48. Remarks (0)

Less than a quarter of EU member countries have adopted EU law to introduce a certification scheme for homes, the European Energy Network will reveal tomorrow.

DEA Training: Most Requested Career

By MikeC (Admin) on 28-Jan-08 14:38. Remarks (0)

More people enquired about training as a DEA last year, than any other profession, according to LearnDirect

Habitus Creditors' Meeting will trigger liquidation

By MikeC (Admin) on 25-Jan-08 14:03. Remarks (1)

Habitus Surveyors Ltd will formally go into liquidation on 5th February 2007. Plus, B&C Associates find no clues suggesting inappropriate trading and, what is their relationship to Habitus?

Changing Faces - Caroline Flint Housing Minister

By MikeC (Admin) on 25-Jan-08 12:00. Remarks (0)

"How can I help you?". "I was just explaining to Ruth how the EPC...". "Ah, I'll need to pass you over to my replacement, Caroline Flint. One moment please..."

DEAs in Business... or not!

By MikeC (Admin) on 24-Jan-08 17:19. Remarks (2)

West Midlands: 561 accredited DEAs. One lady searches HCR Register and contacts 10 listed DEAs. Result? Nothing! Are DEAs incompetent or have they quit?

DEA Website's: Why They Will Fail

By MikeC (Admin) on 22-Jan-08 16:03. Remarks (0)

Quite a few DEAs have websites that are completely invisible and breaking the law. Here are some top tips to get you traffic and hopefully, even some business

CLG: Property Search Shakedown (Consultation)

By MikeC (Admin) on 22-Jan-08 11:30. Remarks (0)

The CLG publishes a consultation document (244 pages!) with recommendations on the future direction of LA searches and seeks your views

Webcast: CLG Discuss Commercial EPCs and DECs

By MikeC (Admin) on 22-Jan-08 10:37. Remarks (2)

Discover the background and methodologies behind commercial EPCs and Display Energy Certificates featuring the CLG, BRE plus others. Courtesy of CIBSE.

Now Energy Ltd Slams EPC Industry

By MikeC (Admin) on 18-Jan-08 18:02. Remarks (0)

Martin Hughes - MD of Now Energy Ltd - lets loose on the whole machinations of the EPC industry, including how training providers teach different methodologies and how some software calculates RdSAP differently too!

Jack It In - 68% Reduced Carbon Footprint Last Year

By MikeC (Admin) on 16-Jan-08 14:27. Remarks (0)

DEAs go home. Over two thirds of the population adopted new green measures last year, according to a survey sponsored by a lender promoting a new 'green cash advance mortgage'.

BRE Award First Sub-Licence to Stroma Accreditation

By MikeC (Admin) on 15-Jan-08 14:26. Remarks (3)

BRE Global has awarded its first sub-licence to Stroma Accreditation Ltd for the training and accreditation of assessors for the Code of Sustainable Homes. Also applying are Elmhurst and NES.

I Hate Holidays

By MikeC (Admin) on 14-Jan-08 13:35. Remarks (4)

Putting on my funkin' dancing shoes and tickeverybox.com is for sale!

It's Been Emotional

By MikeC (Admin) on 24-Dec-07 16:24. Remarks (2)

What you didn't hear! Plus the highs and lows with DEA Podcast guests: AHIPP, Christopher Rodgers (Home & Energy) Ltd, Quidos, Neil Kurz, Linda Gray, SP Property, Property-Careers.com, Quest, SAVA, The Partnership, Jim Gillespie, Nick Phillips, Now Energy, Dan Walters, Chris Evans, Alex Field, Jackie Oliver, Malcolm Scott, Shane O'Reilly

DEA Misses (obvious) Wall Thermostat - BBC Report

By MikeC (Admin) on 21-Dec-07 16:44. Remarks (1)

Both the EPC and the DEA profession will be seriously undermined by reports like this... as will EPC fees!

EPC Fees Slashed - Looking Beyond the Panels

By MikeC (Admin) on 19-Dec-07 17:59. Remarks (8)

Several DEA Panels have announced another reduction in EPC fees paid to DEAs. Kicking the Panels is currently a favourite sport again. But who is really pulling the strings here...?

HIPs Knock 1.1% Off House Prices - Rightmove

By MikeC (Admin) on 17-Dec-07 18:04. Remarks (0)

Rightmove's monthly housing market report for December is showing national house prices falling by 3.2% - 1.1% of which is being blamed on the HIP, it concludes.

Validity Period of EPC - Govt Seeks Views

By MikeC (Admin) on 15-Dec-07 03:22. Remarks (2)

The Government is asking for your views on how long an EPC should remain valid. The age-ranges are from 3 months to 7 years.

HIPs: Select Committee Concerns

By MikeC (Admin) on 14-Dec-07 20:07. Remarks (0)

The Select Committee on Merits of Statutory Instruments assess the new HIP regulations and flags areas of concern which may - in its view - merit further debate in the House of Lords. It thinks HCRs have weakened the HIP but also of interest are the comments from industry.

An Early Xmas Roasting (for someone at Quidos)

By MikeC (Admin) on 13-Dec-07 23:46. Remarks (0)

Someone at Quidos will have had a good roasting today, I suspect. This, because the Winding-Up Order it filed against HES was today knocked-back, according to a post on the HomeInspectorForum.

The Home Information Pack Trap

By MikeC (Admin) on 12-Dec-07 02:05. Remarks (0)

The HIP trap is real and what's more, could even, paradoxically, affect the DEA community. In a slowing housing market and economy, this could be a ticking bomb in the wrong hands.

HIPs: NAEA Members Report 'Definite' House Supply Reduction

By MikeC (Admin) on 11-Dec-07 15:33. Remarks (0)

Mr Bolton-King kicks-off his first news report on the NAEA's new vidcast website - Property Professionals TV - by claiming members are seeing a "definite" reduction in housing supply because of HIPs.

CPD Course Approval and Minimum Hours

By MikeC (Admin) on 07-Dec-07 15:09. Remarks (2)

If you are a DEA or CPD course provider you should read this before committing your time and funds. All is not clear but this is the best snapshot we have

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