BER rating F

jane82

Im heading to meath. Looking to rent a 3 bed house. Im looking to save for a deposit to buy so hoping to do it cheap.
Im looking at a place with an F ber rating. Would I end up spending any money saved on rent on heating the place or is it not that big a deal?

Marchbride

jane82 wrote: »

Im heading to meath. Looking to rent a 3 bed house. Im looking to save for a deposit to buy so hoping to do it cheap.
Im looking at a place with an F ber rating. Would I end up spending any money saved on rent on heating the place or is it not that big a deal?

Yep you will definitely have decent heating bills.. We're renting one at mo with same rating and trying to heat the house is a small fortune!

jane82

Marchbride wrote: »

Yep you will definitely have decent heating bills.. We're renting one at mo with same rating and trying to heat the house is a small fortune!

Thanks for that Ill give it a miss so.

the_syco

jane82 wrote: »

Im heading to meath. Looking to rent a 3 bed house. Im looking to save for a deposit to buy so hoping to do it cheap.

Cheap house will cost you more long term, not only in oil or gas, but also mould ruining things, and possible messing with your health a tad.

What location of Meath are you thinking N/S/W/E, and budget?

jane82

the_syco wrote: »

Cheap house will cost you more long term, not only in oil or gas, but also mould ruining things, and possible messing with your health a tad.

What location of Meath are you thinking N/S/W/E, and budget?

Bettystown seems to be the plan now. No real budget but as cheap as possible with decent quality. Its to save on the rent I would be paying in Dublin and save a house deposit that way.

Marchbride

the_syco wrote: »

Cheap house will cost you more long term, not only in oil or gas, but also mould ruining things, and possible messing with your health a tad.

What location of Meath are you thinking N/S/W/E, and budget?

That's so so true. In the house we're renting at mo, the mould is disgusting. I had to throw out the big blind in our bedroom as it was just disgusting.. I tried cleaning it in a bath of bleach n vinegar but wouldn't shift it.. That was well over a yr ago now n still awaiting for a replacement... But I'm bleaching mould every sat.. Feel my health has definitely deteriorated since being here.. Can't wait to move out! Just be careful with BER's as they do give an accurate reading.. I think anything between an A & E is ok.. Obviously you'd want an A but they're a rare oddity with older houses! Good luck with finding a place

L1011

Remember that BER ratings are extremely subjective, dependent on the opinion of the person entering info to the software and conversely, for higher middle ones (C/D), not that hard to blag either. An F can just as easily come from a poor/lazy assessor making dangerous assumptions that you can't even reliably detect from the report - which you should always read.

Marchbride wrote: »

Just be careful with BER's as they do give an accurate reading..

No, they don't. Its a vague hand-waving estimate at best.

Ray Palmer

MYOB wrote: »

No, they don't. Its a vague hand-waving estimate at best.

I am by no means a fan of BER but it isn't as bad as you are suggesting. The primary problems is the gauges used are based on all things being equal. For example a 20 year old radiator is the same as a brand new one for output.

Inexperienced assessors can inaccurately asses construction. A 2 foot stone wall can have great thermal values but be assessed like a block cavity wall etc...

The report is important more so than the rating. You can question their findings before they file them

L1011

Ray Palmer wrote: »

I am by no means a fan of BER but it isn't as bad as you are suggesting. The primary problems is the gauges used are based on all things being equal. For example a 20 year old radiator is the same as a brand new one for output.

Inexperienced assessors can inaccurately asses construction. A 2 foot stone wall can have great thermal values but be assessed like a block cavity wall etc...

The report is important more so than the rating. You can question their findings before they file them

Based on reports/ratings I've seen - they are. Assessors assuming that "ah, a house this age won't have attic insulation" and not even checking; assumptions made that an empty light socket needs to be classed as having an incandescent bulb in it, etc.

El_Dangeroso

MYOB wrote: »

Based on reports/ratings I've seen - they are. Assessors assuming that "ah, a house this age won't have attic insulation" and not even checking; assumptions made that an empty light socket needs to be classed as having an incandescent bulb in it, etc.

OT but aren't incandescent bulbs banned now? Been trying to get a hold of one with no luck.

L1011

El_Dangeroso wrote: »

OT but aren't incandescent bulbs banned now? Been trying to get a hold of one with no luck.

More or less - you can get 'rough service' bulbs still if you know where to look. Halogens (in the same fitting) are an acceptable replacement for nearly everything except outdoor lights I've found.

El_Dangeroso

MYOB wrote: »

More or less - you can get 'rough service' bulbs still if you know where to look. Halogens (in the same fitting) are an acceptable replacement for nearly everything except outdoor lights I've found.

The only place I've found that sells them is a website that brands them as 'heat bulbs' so as to be exempt from the EU regulations, but I don't want to buy in bulk.

L1011

El_Dangeroso wrote: »

The only place I've found that sells them is a website that brands them as 'heat bulbs' so as to be exempt from the EU regulations, but I don't want to buy in bulk.

Try an auld lad style hardware store (not a DIY warehouse), they usually have them. Don't expect anything other than fairly standard wattage, full-size bayonet connector, non-frosted glass - they are sold on the assumption they're used in industrial settings.

Ray Palmer

MYOB wrote: »

Based on reports/ratings I've seen - they are. Assessors assuming that "ah, a house this age won't have attic insulation" and not even checking; assumptions made that an empty light socket needs to be classed as having an incandescent bulb in it, etc.

That is just somebody not doing their job as opposed to the system. You do have to check they are doing their job.

On incandescent bulbs. I don't believe they have actually been banned as such. There is an extra tax on them and I believe manufacturing has to stop in the EU within a timeframe.

L1011

Ray Palmer wrote: »

That is just somebody not doing their job as opposed to the system. You do have to check they are doing their job.

Quite difficult for a prospective tenant/buyer to check though; until such point that its either too late to back out (renter) or you've committed money based on what may be a lie (purchasing, e.g. survey, valuation etc).

The system has no checks and balances against people not doing their job, making the system itself worthless. At this stage I consider it nothing more than a mass employment scheme that the state have found a way to make the general public found without going through the exchequer.

El_Dangeroso

Ray Palmer wrote: »

That is just somebody not doing their job as opposed to the system. You do have to check they are doing their job.

On incandescent bulbs. I don't believe they have actually been banned as such. There is an extra tax on them and I believe manufacturing has to stop in the EU within a timeframe.

They are effectively banned, their sale was phased out commencing 2009

http://web.archive.org/web/20081208063654/http://www.environ.ie/en/Environment/Atmosphere/ClimateChange/LightBulbsPublicConsultation/LightBulbsFAQs/