Burns & Co - Energy Performance Certificates

Home

About us

Legislation & The Facts

COMPANY CONDITIONS OF ENGAGEMENT

Terms & Conditions of engagement: Burns & Co. - SAP assessment, Non-Domestic and Domestic Energy Assessment (DEA) service to produce an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC):

The SAP assessment/EPC produced by Burns & Co. is an extensive survey, as reasonable access and circumstances permit. The Burns & Co. Consulting assessor will endeavor, where practicable, to inspect as much of the internal and external surface area of the property as possible and include comments on energy related aspects and energy efficiency of systems within the buildings.

Terms & Conditions of engagement for Consultancy services are specific to the commission and therefore available upon quotation. If an amended version is not issued then this document will becomes applicable.

The Commercial EPC and Domestic EPC report contains the following conditions:

1.	The Burns & Co. assessor will survey as much of the internal and external surface area(s), as is practicable. The assessor will lift loose floorboards, loft hatches, trapdoors , riser cupboards where accessible and where reasonable to do so. The assessor will not lift fitted carpets, more heavy furniture or remove fixtures or fittings to facilitate the survey inspection.

2.	The building fabric will be examined, when possible, for data evidence collation in order to produce the EPC.

3.	Where there are areas of the property and building services systems which are covered, unexposed or inaccessible these are deemed not compulsory to be inspected. - It notably would be impossible and not feasible for the Burns & Co. assessor to examine every part of the building and its energy systems. The report does not state an opinion or provide advice in relation to the condition or energy ratings of uninspected parts of the property and should not be taken as making any implied representation or statement about such parts.

4.	The Burns & Co. assessor will inspect, from ground level or from a nearby available vantage point, the roof loft and upper areas, which can be accessed from the assessor's 3m ladder with a regard to health & safety. Close proximity of adjacent buildings/tall trees may hinder inspection of part of the roof/chimney stacks etc. The roof void area is inspected assuming a suitable access point if available, but household belongings will not be moved in any case by the assessor. The assessor cannot comment in relation to the practicality of using properties chimney(s).

5.	The Burns & Co. assessor will advise the client of their opinion of the energy rating of the property in the form or an EPC, and will perform the survey and calculations work as is reasonable in their professional judgment, bearing in mind the physical and practical limitations imposed by the specific circumstances of the dwelling at the time of the survey.

6.	The Burns & Co. assessor will not perform any tests of the following service installations, without prior specific instructions: Gas, water, electricity, central heating.

7.	The Burns & Co. assessor will only be visually inspecting energy related systems/Building Services(i.e no performance or efficiency inspections will be carried out). Thus the EPC will only provide general comments on the latter systems.

8.	The Burns & Co. assessor will give his professional opinion provided however that any liability of the assessor arising in connection with these Conditions of Engagement or any matters arising during or after the survey shall not extend to economic loss or loss of profits suffered whether by client or any third party.

9.	If you are unhappy with any aspect of the survey, you should, in the first instance contact the Energy Assessor who carried out the work. His/Her details are given in the EPC. If this fails to resolve the matter you can write or telephone to Elmhurst Energy. Elmhurst Energy are accredited by Department if Finance and Personnel (Northern Ireland). Elmhurst Energy are responsible for ensuring that Energy Performance Certificates are accurate and consistent. Their address is as follows: Elmhurst Energy Systems Ltd 16 St. John's Business Park Lutterworth LE17 4HB Telephone: 01455 883 257

10.	If applicable, the Burns & Co. assessor's opinion in the EPC report is as per date of inspection. This is unless otherwise agreed, the assessment advice and certification process assumes the following: - The property is unaffected by any statutory notice and that neither the property nor its use or proposed use gives rise to a contravention of any statutory requirements. Notably, the Burns & Co. assessor is under no duty to validate these assumptions.

11.	The EPC report produced by the Burns & Co. assessor is confidential to the client for the specific purpose to which it refers. However, t may be disclosed to other professional advisor(s) assisting the client in respect of that purpose, but the client shall not disclose the EPC report to any other person.

12.	In relation to the estimated energy savings expressed in the EPC report, the client is to be aware that they are for guidance purposes only and should not be taken to be a quotation nor estimate and should be substantiated prior to exchange of contracts by proper competitive quotations or estimates.

13.	The client agrees to pay Burns & Co. in respect of the professional advice a fee as agreed. In addition, the client will reimburse to Burns & Co. amounts of Value Added Tax on the fee, together with any agreed expenses (where applicable). Payment must be made before the property survey takes place, directly to Burns & Co..