Ber cert dishonest

[Gerard123]

I would not expect that a surveyor would necessarily comment on the ber cert per se (unless asked, perhaps it should be a requirement).

However, he should have commented on the windows, house insulation, attic insulation, boiler, conditions, etc. If there were significant issues with cold, dampness, etc, the surveyor should have also highlighted them.

I do think you should raise a complaint, what happened is inappropriate and calls into question the ber process.

 

[elcato]

We did contact the BER assessor who gave the C2 and he said that a good quality condensor boiler and an energy efficient gas fire in the sitting room would both put the BER rating into the mid C range. Our insulation companies and BER assessor say this is not the case. Both versions can't be true.

Do you think your insulation company would be impartial ? Likewise, are you paying your own assessor now ? Your last sentence could be right

 

[Pk1992]

hi, we'd be grateful for insights: we bought a house in 2015 on the basis of a ber cert saying it was a C2. We'd come from a C2 house and assumed - incorrectly on hindsight - that it would be a warm house. However on finding that we were frozen over the winter (and continuously sick), we got in a reputable heating and insulation company who said at best that the house is a D2. We have got two other companies since who have said the same, and one of them was a ber assessor as well. We are talking about 4-5,000 to get the house up to a C2. I have since got very ill and am out of work, but we need to get the house insulated and warm before the winter sets in. Is there any point trying to take this up with the auctioneer, or vendor? We feel very cheated. Any tips gratefully appreciated.

Hello, I know this is several years old but did you find a solution to the issue? I am currently in the exact same position. I have purchased a house which was advertised at D1. When we began our retrofit process we discovered it was actually an E2. The BER assessment was also carried out after we went sale agreed according to the date on the certificate.

 

[Sue Ellen]

Hi Pk1992,

Welcome to AAM.

Unfortunately the OP who started this thread has not logged in since 2016 so will most likely not see your query.

 

[jfrank]

Hello, I know this is several years old but did you find a solution to the issue? I am currently in the exact same position. I have purchased a house which was advertised at D1. When we began our retrofit process we discovered it was actually an E2. The BER assessment was also carried out after we went sale agreed according to the date on the certificate.

I recently got a BER done on my PPR. I am not selling, I just wanted to know if it would come up with practical recommendations to improve heat retention. House is 22 years old so I was presently surprised it got a C1 rating. However, the biggest single black mark noted was that I did not have any form of a renewable energy heat source........ what has that got to do with Heat Retention, the u value??

 

[jpd]

Nothing - the BER certificate is measuring your home's energy performance not the heat retention value

 

[jfrank]

Nothing - the BER certificate is measuring your home's energy performance not the heat retention value

I would have thought the heat retention is the performance?

 

[jpd]

It is one of the measures but that how the heat is generated is another

 

[noproblem]

You'd be better off spending your money on finding out where heat is being lost, ie, a draught assessment test and not in a BER Cert.

 

[lff12]

The method of calculating BER changed last year I think. Current home (renting) surprised me by ending up with an F. (I was going to buy it but pulled out of the sale once the solicitor discovered it didn't have correct PP - long story). The place I am just about to close sale on is a D2. But I actually find the old place very cosy so I suspect that when there are don't knows in the BER process the assessor makes an educated guess or default value - this may have changed from 6 years ago.
I've looked into the SEAI grant schemes and you should get someone to come and do a proper assessment that would go past the basic BER rating process which would as other posters have suggested, tell you far more about the U values of walls and windows and what you can and cannot upgrade.

 

[AlbacoreA]

We have very mild winters. Unless its very exposed, most low BER rated houses are perfectly liveable as is.

 

[dereko1969]

You'd be better off spending your money on finding out where heat is being lost, ie, a draught assessment test and not in a BER Cert.

The libraries had a scheme last year where you could get a box that identified where you were losing heat - it was free, might still be running and was helpful to us in identifying where draughts were coming from.