Wrong BER Rating

kerdiff

Quick question, I recently bought a house which came with a BER C3, after pumping the walls and installing new wood burning stove the new BER is a D1. The new BER assessors said the last assessor over looked that there was a suspended wooden floor and therefore got the BER wrong, is there anything I can do.

Calahonda52

kerdiff wrote: »

Quick question, I recently bought a house which came with a BER C3, after pumping the walls and installing new wood burning stove the new BER is a D1. The new BER assessors said the last assessor over looked that there was a suspended wooden floor and therefore got the BER wrong, is there anything I can do.

Does it make a lot of difference to you?

Did you really buy it because it was a C3?

You could take it up with SEAI but it won't change the rating.
It may the the first assessor subject to an audit or two but will it impact on you?
No

Sleeper12

I would post this in either construction, if you want advice about the difference between the ratings or the consumer forum if asking about your rights.

I'd imagine there is a clause in the BER cert with a get out of the jail free card.

Have you contacted the person who issued the first cert? I'd like to hear what they have to say. They might offer you a refund for the BER. I think that is the best you can hope for without a full blown court case. If you go down that road the only advice that can be given is to contact a g solicitor.

There are legal forums here. Ag they can't give you legal advice but if asked a hypothetical question they may debate it

Lumen

Did your survey mention the suspended wooden floor?

kerdiff

Yeah he just said that there was a suspended floor in part of the house.

Cerco

Did the second assessor offer a remedy with approximate cost to bring the performance up to C3?

Personally I think there is a bit of hocus pokes around BER assessments. I would like to see a definitive analysis of the energy cost difference between a C3 and a D1 rating.

ouxbbkqtswdfaw

BER Certs? I had C and decided to upgrade. Pumped the walls and laid down the recommended attic insulation. Qualified for grant. BER dropped by two grades!, now D something. Motto don't do anything based on BER cert.

Sleeper12

Cerco wrote:

Personally I think there is a bit of hocus pokes around BER assessments. I would like to see a definitive analysis of the energy cost difference between a C3 and a D1 rating.

The ultimate problem with the BER system is that they only report what they see. My house was built in 1964 with an extention in 2008. If I got a BER done the report will assume that the 1964 part of of the house is only up to the 1964 standard & the 2008 part up to 2008 standards. The fact that I have 100 Mill of internal insulation in the 1964 part of the house won't be recognised by the cert. They won't test it. Even if I give permission to stab the wall anywhere they want with a screwdriver they won't.

Most won't even get up into the attic. Usually they check around the attic opening from the stepladder.

If seen people install energy saving bulbs or LEDs & TRVs on the rads for the BER only to remove them all before moving out of the house.

I'm not a big fan of BER. But if I ever sell I can show any buyer that my house is fully insulated. I might get a lower rating on the cert but can demonstrate to buyer that its a higher standard.

I honestly don't think a BER rating makes a huge difference in sale price or how quickly it will sell.

In OPs case I think Cakahonda52 is spot on. I doubt the rating would have changed the fact that op bought the house or not & I'm betting it didn't alter the purchase price at all.


If the government wants BER to be relevant during house sales I would suggest different rates of stamp duty for different ratings. This would encourage people to get the highest rating possible

uck51js9zml2yt

Got a ber done recently. The assessor told me it only looks at the main living areas and whether they are wooden or carpet.
Also the depth of insulation in the attic.

Its not really that scientific