Legal Information

Reynolds Property Services is a trading name of Reynolds Projects Limited, registered in England No. 5610591

Conditions of Engagement

Domestic Energy Performance Certificate

Terms on which the report is prepared
To market your home for sale you must have a Domestic Energy Performance Certificate.

• This Report is produced by a Home Inspector, who is a member of a government-approved certification scheme.
• The Home Inspector has a duty to provide an accurate calculation of the energy performance of the property which the buyer, the seller and the buyer’s mortgage company must be able to rely on & use.
• To become a member of a government-approved certification scheme and be able to produce this Report, a Home Inspector has to:
  1. Pass an assessment of skills, in line with National Occupational Standards.
  2. Have insurance that provides cover when a Home Inspector is negligent.
• The Home Inspector must follow the necessary government-approved certification scheme’s standards and code of conduct.
• An Energy Performance Certificate is not valid unless it has been produced by a Home Inspector who is a member of a government-approved scheme and it has been entered on the Central Register. Central Register which is available to the public.
• The Report is in a standard format and is based on these terms, which set out what you should expect of the Home Inspector and the Energy Performance Certificate. You and the Home Inspector cannot amend these terms.
• Any other services the Home Inspector may provide are not covered by these terms and so must be covered by a separate contract.
• If you have any complaint about this report, you can complain by following the complaints procedure, which is explained in more detail in the Complaints Procedure below.

What this report will tell you
The Domestic Energy Performance Certificate will tell you about the energy and environmental performance of the home regarding carbon dioxide emissions, and will suggest any improvements that you could make.

What is inspected?

• The Home Inspector collects information regarding the construction, materials, windows, insulation, thermal properties, services, heating, lighting and dimensions of the property.
• The data is input into government approved methodology software for calculating energy efficiency and environmental impact of carbon dioxide emissions from individual properties.

Important note

• The data collection process during the site visit will be ‘non-invasive’. This means that the Home Inspector will not take up carpets, floor coverings or floorboards, move furniture or remove the contents of cupboards. Also, the Home Inspector will not remove secured panels or undo electrical fittings.
• The Energy Performance Certificate will include, where available, information on potential improvements to the energy performance of the property.
• These potential improvements may include both low cost elements (such as loft insulation) and higher cost elements (such as replacement double glazed windows or a new condensing boiler) that could be made to enhance the current energy performance of the property.
• The Energy Performance Certificate will provide a guide to the potential annual savings, in monetary terms, of each such improvement and the pay-back periods in terms of the cost outlay of the improvement and the annual energy savings recovered.

Inspection arrangements
As discussed.

Report delivery The Domestic Energy Performance Certificate will be produced within 24 hours of the date of the site visit. Home Inspector's right to withdraw
The Home Inspector may withdraw from the contract at any time without incurring a breach of contract if:

• The property does not require a Domestic Energy Performance Certificate.
• The property is in an unsafe condition and poses a threat to health and safety.
• There is lack of access for visual inspection purposes to any parts of the property that are likely to compromise the completeness and accuracy of the report.
• The property is undergoing building works at the time of the site visit.
• The property is a designated building site and there is no on-site contractor manager competent in construction health and safety who will be on site for the duration of the inspection and will ensure compliance with site safety rules.
• If the property does not have electricity, gas (if provided) and water services connected and in working condition during the site visit (including light emitters in all fixed lighting points).
• Any potential or actual conflict of interest comes to the Home Inspector’s notice.

Client rights to withdraw

• The client has the right to cancel or withdraw from the contract by giving notice in writing within two working days of the agreed site visit date.
• A cancellation fee may be payable based on the time and expenses incurred up to the point at which written notice of cancellation is received.

Data Protection

• The Domestic Energy Performance Certificate does not display the client’s name.
• Minimal personal client data will be recorded, limited to name and necessary contact information.
• Any such data will only be used for the purpose of preparing a Domestic Energy Performance Certificate.
• The client may request and be supplied with details of any such recorded data held.

Complaints Procedure

• Details of how to register a complaint are defined in the attached Complaints Procedure.
• You have the right to complain to me or directly to the SAVA Certification Scheme who will instigate the complaints process.

Certification Scheme Standards

• As a qualified and registered Home Inspector, my conduct is governed by the Code of Conduct of the SAVA Certification Scheme.
• I fully endorse and agree to abide by the SAVA Certification Scheme Code of Conduct.

Complaints Procedure

• We will request in writing any verbal concerns to be submitted in writing and we will enclose a copy of this complaints procedure
• All such complaints should initially be submitted in writing to :

• We will acknowledge, in writing, within 2 working days of receipt of a written complaint and will investigate the complaint and provide a Findings & Conclusion Report within a further 5 working days. We will advise within 5 days if this timescale is impractical.
• We will submit copies of the written complaint and acknowledgement letter to the SAVA Certification Scheme, and continue to update the Scheme with copies of any further communications, including the final resolution of the matter.
• We will exercise our utmost endeavour to achieve mutual satisfaction. However, in the unlikely event that you are still unhappy with the outcome, you have the right to escalate the matter to the SAVA Certification Scheme. Contact details :

• This service will consider your complaint and decide whether to take action against the Home Inspector as a result. The Home Inspector can be ordered to undertake various actions, including, if appropriate, paying you compensation.
• Please be aware that the existence of this process does not prevent you from pursuing a complaint through the courts and as such does not affect your existing legal rights.

Mortgage Advice Legal Documents
Treating Customers Fairly - PDF document
Terms of Business - PDF document
Nicky Reynolds operates under FSA licence number 300254 as Broom Financial Services.