Latest figures released
Apparently, the latest numbers of fully accredited Domestic Energy Assessors now stand at 1,595 according to (AHIPP), meaning the number of DEAs required to produce EPCs for August 1 deadline has been achieved.
I say 'apparently' because, as noted in a previous blog-post - AHIPP Should Rethink PR Strategy - they have demonstrated a tendency to over-inflate these numbers by quite some margin, in the past.
But given that they're now seemingly more embedded into the Govt machinery on this, I'm allowing a little more credibility.
[Updated - Government-released figures: 1603 DEAs accredited]
[Updated (again) - Latest DEA numbers: 2224 accredited]
[DEA number update: 2969 accredited DEAs]
Regional Coverage of DEAs
No indication of how well-spread and fed the regional coverage of DEAs is... a suspicious omission that hasn't gone unnoticed within the DEA community - In that discussion, the main area of concern is cited as London. But I'm still a little more concerned about Wales.
Wales
As can be seen from the table in my last blog post commenting on the first announcement of DEA numbers, there was only 50 then. Wales is quite a big place! What's more, there are areas which are sparsely populated (we've all seen those lonely homes perched halfway up a mountain, haven't we!), meaning more drive-time, and less energy assessments.
London
However, London is still a concern when you factor in - again - drive-time, plus parking, congestion charges and just general commuting around the gaff... as adequately illustrated on epctruth's post on the true cost of an EPC in London:
- Assuming that a London DEA can only manage to do 80% of the EPCs due to the travel and other factors
- The fixed costs per EPC rise from £23.10 to £42.87
- To achive the same £38,450 that a DEA outside London could earn, an average charge per EPC of £139 would need to be levied instead of £100.
- However, if the additional living costs are taken into consideration, this could rise to £150 per EPC.
£150 per EPC! That's gonna make some HIP providers happy!
