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'Honesty' of BER ratings?

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  • 05-02-2013 5:13pm
    #1
    quad_red
    Registered Users Posts: 5,561 ✭✭✭


    What is to stop Estate Agents and sellers simply paying unscrupulous BER assessors to produce the BER rating they want?

    Has anyone come across this? If so, have you reported it to SEAI?
    Tagged:


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    #2
    muffler
    Registered Users Posts: 46,083 ✭✭✭✭muffler


    Interesting topic. Have you had first hand experience of this?


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    #3
    looksee
    Registered Users Posts: 28,435 ✭✭✭✭looksee


    I had a BER done and was confident that the results were appropriate. I am a bit hazy about it now, but I seem to remember someone contacting us from SEAI to double check it, there was a good bit going on though and I cannot be absolutely sure of that.

    I have no doubt that some firms are less than perfect, one firm I contacted it turned out in conversation that they were also a building firm that would do any work found necessary during the test. I was a bit unconvinced by that!


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    #4
    ednwireland
    Registered Users Posts: 14,379 ✭✭✭✭ednwireland


    the guy i knew that did my (rented) house was very wary about doing anything wrong said the seai did a lot of random checks on his ber's. dont know if they go round targeting areas or not.

    My weather

    https://www.ecowitt.net/home/share?authorize=96CT1F



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    #5
    muffler
    Registered Users Posts: 46,083 ✭✭✭✭muffler


    The BER assessors are regularly audited


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    #6
    quad_red
    Registered Users Posts: 5,561 ✭✭✭quad_red


    I was in the process of negotiating with an EA over a house.

    Seventies hollow block semi D. No wall insulation, very minimal insulation in the attic. Garage 'converted' without any insulation with thin internal doors leading to it (basically they just got a bit of lino, put that on the floor, and put some dry lining on the walls of the garage). Basic gas boiler and rads (maybe 15 years old). Double glazing, maybe ten years old. House was noticeably cold.

    Got a very knowledgeable person to look at the house with us. Spoke to an external insulation company with experience houses in the area. Common consensus was a new high efficiency heating system would bring it up to maybe D2/D1. A total overhaul with high quality external insulation would bring it up to C3, maybe C2.

    Not a problem - this was factored into our offer price.

    The smug EA has just produced a C2 BER rating on the house as it stands. Provided the BER number which can be looked up on the SEAI website.

    It just doesn't seem possible. BER agent is registered to a Property Management company not far from the EA office. The BER assessors website address in the BER entry is non functional. There is a mobile number.


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    #7
    sydthebeat
    Subscribers Posts: 41,586 ✭✭✭✭sydthebeat


    quad_red wrote: »
    I was in the process of negotiating with an EA over a house.

    Seventies hollow block semi D. No wall insulation, very minimal insulation in the attic. Garage 'converted' without any insulation with thin internal doors leading to it (basically they just got a bit of lino, put that on the floor, and put some dry lining on the walls of the garage). Basic gas boiler and rads (maybe 15 years old). Double glazing, maybe ten years old. House was noticeably cold.

    Got a very knowledgeable person to look at the house with us. Spoke to an external insulation company with experience houses in the area. Common consensus was a new high efficiency heating system would bring it up to maybe D2/D1. A total overhaul with high quality external insulation would bring it up to C3, maybe C2.

    Not a problem - this was factored into our offer price.

    The smug EA has just produced a C2 BER rating on the house as it stands. Provided the BER number which can be looked up on the SEAI website.

    It just doesn't seem possible. BER agent is registered to a Property Management company not far from the EA office. The BER assessors website address in the BER entry is non functional. There is a mobile number.

    for the sake of the reputation of the system and all upstanding assessors, please report this to here


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    #8
    sinnerboy
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,433 ✭✭✭sinnerboy


    quad_red wrote: »
    The smug EA has just produced a C2 BER rating on the house as it stands. Provided the BER number which can be looked up on the SEAI website.

    It just doesn't seem possible.

    Does sound suspect.

    Ask to see the BER advisory report which will make statements as to the construction of the building. It may be possible to spot things there that you know are not true - eg. it may make a statement about the attic insulation thickness that you is know is not true.

    This is troubling but I would say that I believe a BER assessor would have a short career out of being dishonest. The audit system is tough and they have to be insured. BER certs are revoked .

    In this case if you decide to purchase ask for evidence of the assessors PI cover .

    And as syd says do report your suspicions to SEAI.


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