A survey by AHIPP of 10 training and assessment centres for Home Inspectors and Domestic Energy Assessors (DEAs) showed that there will be over 3,500 trained and accredited operatives by 1 June.
AHIPP said opponents of Home Information Packs (HIPs) have erroneously reported that up to 7,500 energy assessors will be needed for 1 June and that there will be a shortfall of thousands. This figure became redundant on 18 July last year when Home Condition Reports (HCRs) were made voluntary, yet AHIPP feels it has been used erroneously and irresponsibly by some parties on a number of occasions recently. It said that around 2,500 full time assessors will be needed by June.
“The training and assessment centres surveyed have told us that there will be at least 1,130 Home Inspectors and over 2,400 DEAs ready to undertake inspections for June,” said Mike Ockenden, director-general of AHIPP.
“The AHIPP survey did not include statistics from ‘Safe As’ the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) training and assessment centre which can be expected to significantly supplement these numbers.
“In fact with the number of DEAs qualifying the Government should seriously consider brining forward the implementation of Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) for rented properties and social housing.
“Furthermore the cost of a pack has frequently been mis-reported as being up to £1,000 but again this is an erroneous figure, designed to galvanise opposition to the packs. We cannot find a single provider quoting this amount.
“The actual figure will be between £300 - £400, inclusive of the cost of an EPC, in some cases regardless of whether the title is registered or unregistered. The whole range of price options can be verified by checking our website where the majority of our members, who are pack providers, have listed their charges,” added Ockenden.
“Consumers and estate agents need to be informed about the facts not the lies and myths.”
