EPCs are rated on a scale from A to G, with a numerical figure from 0-upwards used to refine the rating further. It can seem a little mysterious how one building can get a C rating or another can get an E rating, when on the face of it the buildings might not look that different. In this blog, we want to try and give you a better idea of what actually goes towards the rating, and what is not considered at all.

Common Misconceptions about EPCs

There are several things that many customers think are part of the EPC process, but in fact are not considered at all. Let’s take you though some of the common ones and dispel any myths:

• Meter Readings – The assessor will want to see your gas and electric meters during the course of the visit, but this is simply to get a photo which can be requested during any subsequent audit. The photos will be used to confirm that the property has a gas and electric supply, and what type of meter you have. Readings are not taken or used in any way.
• Energy Bills – Your gas and electric usage is not considered in any way. The EPC is purely interested in the building itself, not how you use the property. You may pay as little as £10 a month or as much as £500 a month but this will not have any impact on the rating at all.
• Portable/Unfixed Heaters – If you use portable electric or gas heaters, these are not usually considered in the EPC. This is because they can be easily removed from the property and don’t form a permanent part of the dwelling.
• Furnishings, curtains, carpets and other decorations – There are some furnishings that can have energy saving properties; for example door draught excluders, carpets and curtains. These are not considered as part of the survey and will have no bearing on the final rating.
• Boilers – The only thing the assessor is looking for when viewing the boiler is the model number and make. The assessor is not a qualified gas engineer and so won’t do anything to the boiler itself except take a few photos and check the boiler plate for the details. Which leads on to our next point…
• Invasive measurements or testing – The EPC is defined as a non-invasive survey, and that means that anything which cannot be seen from a visual inspection can not be included in the EPC unless documentary evidence is available. The assessor will not drill any holes or otherwise disturb the building.
• Customer Knowledge – Although it can be very useful to get information on access and finding various features in the building, the assessor cannot take hearsay and customer knowledge into account when assessing the property. This is because there needs to be visual or documentary evidence to be able to include certain details in the EPC. For example, the customer might indicate that the property was built with insulation in the roof, but if the assessor cannot get into the roof space to confirm this, and there is no documentation left behind by the builder, then ‘as built’ is entered in the software and the EPC will assume defaults based on the age of the building.

Away from the actual visit, there are also some other misconceptions surrounding the EPC itself, lets cover some of those as well:

• A common misconception for landlords is that an electrical safety inspection is sufficient and that an EPC is not required. This is incorrect – an EPC is always required if you are letting out your property, or if you are selling it.
• EPCs required at each sale – An EPC is valid for 10 years however many times you sell or let the property. There may be certain situations where the EPC becomes invalid, usually due to modifications to the property or changes to the areas that are being let, but generally if a property has an EPC dated within the last 10 years you will not need a new one for sales and lettings. If you are getting the EPC for feed in tariff or RHI payments, or for other funding measures, then there are different criteria and you may need a new EPC.
• The EPC is a formality – For the moment, there are no penalties for getting a low grade on your EPC, but from April 2018, the government will relondquire all new rental leases to have an EPC E rating or better. This is big news as there are many properties not meeting this minimum rating, so don’t see your EPC as a formality, especially if you are planning to let the property.
• You can get an EPC for £30 – You see some ads online for cheap EPCs at a rate of £30 or less in some places. These are usually misleading or inaccurate. To get an EPC at this low price, many corners need to be cut to make it viable, and that means the end rating is going to be a poor reflection of the building, and you could end up with an EPC that doesn’t meet the standard you need. We recommend getting a quality EPC assessor – our EPC assessors are registered low carbon consultants with CIBSE (Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers) for example, with our prices ranging depending on the size of the property and the work involved. You get what you pay for!

We have already taken a look at the key ways to improve your domestic EPC. Commercial EPCs still have quite a few of the same components, but there is a larger variety of properties out there, and many more ways to improve your rating. Here are some of our top tips:

1. Ensure your lighting is energy efficient. Lighting makes a much bigger difference to a commercial rating compared to a domestic certificate and making sure you optimise your lighting is key. For larger properties, you may want to get a full lighting design carried out, as this will improve the rating further.
2. Use efficient heating. The heating system is important for office spaces and retail units. Ensure that you have an efficient AC unit if it is being used as the primary heating system. If you have no heating or just electric heaters, consider getting a more efficient heating system
3. Install a hot water heater. It may be a quirk of the system, but a property with no hot water heating is going to perform poorly compared to one with a simple electric point of use water heater. If you have a small workshop or shop with no hot water, get a small electric single point of use heater to boost your rating.
4. Insulate your walls. When carrying out a refit or refurbishment, you should look at adding internal insulation for solid brick or metal clad properties. If you have a cavity wall property, chances are that there is no insulation in the walls, as there have never been any grants or subsidies for this sort of work in the commercial setting. This is an easy win for your energy rating.
5. Insulate your roof. In commercial property, particularly warehouses and industrial buildings, the roof can be particularly poorly insulated. If possible, look at adding some basic insulation to help improve performance.
6. Lighting Controls. A nice relatively cheap and easy improvement that can be installed when upgrading your lighting is to add some occupancy sensing for your lighting to reduce the amount of wasted energy lighting unused space. There are lots of lighting control options out there and variations on a theme, but it is a good way to cut your lighting costs and give the EPC rating a little boost.
7. Heating controls. Heating controls are usually poor to non-existent in commercial properties. Install some thermostatic controls, particularly ones that can be zoned.
8. Get some renewables for your business. Renewable energy can be great for businesses. Because energy is used more consistently and at known times, you can be much more precise about the return on investment and payback period. Solar for example, is great for an office, because the peak hours of use coincide with the peak hours of electricity generation. CHP and biomass can also make great investments with generous Renewable Heat Incentive payments
9. Provide documentation. This is absolutely key to get the best rating. Ensure that any improvement works have appropriate documentation in order for the assessor to include them in the EPC. If the improvement can’t be seen, or the model number not readily available, then it cannot be included in the certificate. Try to ensure things like u-values, model numbers, air tightness, extraction rates etc are available wherever possible.
10. Liaise with your assessor to create a predictive EPC prior to carrying out your refurbishment work. By getting your assessor out to look at various improvement options, you can maximise the final rating at the end of the works. Plus you can work out the most cost effective improvement options.

There are some properties that are exempted from having an EPC. In this blog we are going to take a look at some of these properties and find out if your property is exempt.

The first thing to say is that the vast majority of properties will require an EPC. These exemptions are pretty rare and even if they do apply, many mortgage providers and other institutions will insist on an EPC being carried out anyway.

Listed Properties

If you have a listed property it will not need an EPC in order to be sold. Listed properties tend to have very unusual construction types and would have to be altered dramatically to meet modern standards for energy efficiency. This is obviously not very desirable for a property which should not be significantly altered in order to preserve it; it is therefore not necessary to have an EPC carried out.

There is nothing stopping you from getting an EPC however, as in some cases it could still be useful. Properties are listed for any number of reasons – not all are 15^th century cottages. It is perfectly possible to improve some of these buildings without detracting from their heritage status.

Temporary Buildings of 2 Years or Less

If a building is designed to be used for less than 2 years, then an EPC is not necessary. It is very unusual for a temporary building to be bought or sold however, so this is unlikely to come up very much. There is a slight grey area where temporary buildings become permanent. There are plenty of instances where a temporary structure has hung around for several years and should probably therefore be considered as a permanent building.

Places of Worship

If the main purpose of a building is as a place of worship then it will not require an EPC. Church halls and other peripheral buildings may need an EPC however if there is another use – many church halls are used for nurseries for example and would need an EPC when being sold or let. This is somewhat understandable because many religious buildings are old and of non-standard construction, making it very difficult to improve their energy efficiency.

Industrial sites, Workshops and Agricultural Buildings

There are some exemptions for industrial buildings that use very little energy to condition. The important part to note here is that an EPC does not consider energy used in industrial processes. You can have an industrial building that uses loads of electricity but is not conditioned in any way, because the EPC does not consider this process energy it will not show this in the final EPC.

You should be very careful to write off a property as exempt in this situation however. There are a lot of grey areas which can complicate the situation so make sure your property is exempt or you could end up with a fine.

Small Detached Buildings

Any small detached building less than 50 square meters in area is exempt from EPCs. It is important to note the word ‘detached’ here; if the building is adjoining any other then it will not be exempt.

Buildings due to be Demolished

A building due for demolition with all the relevant permissions in place will not need an EPC. This is obviously very sensible as the energy performance of a building due to be demolished is completely irrelevant. Having said that, we have carried out EPCs on these types of buildings simply due to bank red tape before, so whilst there is no government legislation requiring them, other institutions may do.

Vacant Buildings

If a property is classed as in vacant possession, or it is vacant and due to be demolished, then it should not need an EPC.

Feed in Tariff, ECO and Grant Applications

The exception to all the above exemptions is where someone is applying for a government grant like the Feed In Tariff, RHI or an ECO grant. In these circumstances an EPC will be required irrespective if the building is a place of worship, listed or any other of the above. This is because the payment made under these schemes is dependent on the energy performance of the building.

You may also get requests for an EPC from other institutions like a bank or mortgage provider. If they require an EPC then this is up to them, so you may need to get one done even if one of the above applies.

But don’t worry, the EPC is really straight-forward and relatively cheap to do. Just give us a call and book yours in!

Over the last 10 years, EPCs have done a lot to encourage the take-up of measures that save money on bills and help reduce carbon emissions. Energy Performance Certificates were introduced in August 2007 to measure the efficiency of the UK’s housing stock. They give the property a rating based on the effectiveness of its insulation, heating systems and draught proofing.

Is your EPC certificate more than 10 years old?

EPCs are valid for 10 years. This means that if you were one of the first people to get one when they were first introduced, yours may have expired. Make sure you check the date on your EPC!

When should you get a new EPC?

• If you’re a landlord, you are already legally obliged to have a current EPC to show to prospective tenants. However, it is now more important than ever that you have a valid EPC for each of your properties. New Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES), will mean huge fines for landlords if their properties are not up to scratch. As of April 2018, penalties of up to £10,000 will be handed out for each property with a rating of ‘E’ or below.
• It’s not just the fear factor that should encourage landlords to get an EPC, however – prospective tenants are taking more notice of EPC reports these days, when they come to shop around.
• If your EPC is still valid, but since the survey you have made significant changes to your home, it could be worth getting a new one to reflect the changes – your rating could well go up.

If you’re a homeowner, an EPC is not obligatory, but could be helpful to let you know where you could be saving on your bills – and if you come to sell in the future, an energy efficient home will be more attractive.

Get an EPC survey

In many cases, our surveyors can be with you as soon as the next day, making sure you don’t have to wait if you suddenly realise your EPC is no longer valid. If you’re a landlord, book in now to give yourself a chance to improve your property in time for the new standards introduced next spring.

Give us a call on 0208 819 2166 or email epc@london-epc.co.uk to book an EPC survey, or if you have any questions! 

There isn’t a great deal of understanding as to what actually constitutes the surveying process of an EPC (outside of the surveyors themselves, of course). What can you expect the surveyor do when he gets to your house? How does the process work? In this blog and accompanying video, we are going to show you exactly what is measured and what evidence is gathered – not in enough detail for you to do it yourself, but just enough so that you understand what is going to go on during the visit!

Checking your loft insulation

The assessor will do a quick head-and-shoulders inspection of your loft, if it is accessible. The depth of the insulation will be measured, and the type of party wall between you and any neighbouring property will be checked. Access to the loft is really important if you want a good rating, because the assessor can only input what he can see and take evidence of.

Wall thickness, type and insulation

The type of walls your property has is very important. Solid walls and cavity walls differ greatly in terms of their insulating value, and will therefore impact on the energy rating. The assessor will measure the thickness of the walls, and check for any insulation that is present.

Checking the model of your heating system

If you have electric heating, a model number is not required; the assessor will just check what rooms are heated and the general type of heater you have. If you have a boiler or a heat pump, the exact model of the boiler will be useful to give a more accurate rating. The assessor will also look to see whether you have a thermostat, a programmer, thermostatic valves, and any other heating controls that may be present.

Your hot water heating

Hot water heating may come directly from your combi boiler, for instance, in which case this will not be relevant to you. If you have a hot water cylinder however, then the surveyor will check its capacity and the insulation present.

Your windows

The type of window you have – for example, single, double or triple glazing – and the age of the windows will be checked. With double glazing, the width of the gap between the window panes may also be measured. With single glazing, the draught-proofing present is checked as well.

Lighting

The number of lights in the property and the number of energy efficient lights are checked.

Your bathrooms

The assessor will add up the number of rooms in the property classified as ‘habitable’, excluding rooms like utility rooms and small kitchens. They also add up the number of bathrooms present and the number of showers and baths.

Renewable technology

If you have any solar panels, solar thermal, wind turbine or any other type of renewable electricity or heat generation, then this will need to be considered as well. The size of the system is the main concern here.

Creating a floor plan

Once all this evidence has been gathered, the assessor will then create a simple floor plan of the property to work out the area of the property and the amount of heat loss and partition walls. This is much more basic than the floor plans typically carried out by an estate agent, and it is kept in a draft form only for the purpose of calculations. We often get asked if we can produce floor plans for the client as well as the EPC; this would add an additional cost, simply because it is beyond the remit of the EPC and these basic sketches.

Photographic evidence

As the surveyor goes around the property, they will need to take multiple photos to gather evidence to support why they are entering certain values into the software. This is because a percentage of the work carried out by EPC assessors is audited by our accreditation body, and it is essential the surveyor can justify why they have entered a certain value.

Documentary evidence

If there are things you have installed, like wall insulation, room-in-roof insulation, or floor insulation for example, that are not easily able to be measured on the day, the surveyor will need to see documentation showing exactly what has been installed. If this is not available, the benefits of this insulation will not be included in the final EPC, as the assessor has to be able to show it is present during an audit.

Producing your EPC

Following this visit, your EPC is created using all the measurements and evidence gathered on site. This is usually done back in the office and you will get your EPC within 48 hours in most cases. If you have any questions about how an EPC works or what is involved in the survey, just let us know! This blog covers some of the most basic parts of the survey which is usually required in every home, but there are various additional items that need to be recorded, depending on the home in question. Every home is a little different!

We have looked at some renewable technologies and how they affect EPC ratings, along with more conventional forms of heating like electric, gas boilers, biomass and heat pumps. In this blog, we are going to take a look at some of the more unusual forms of heating and what sort of impact they will have on your EPC rating. Should you keep these systems or is it worth replacing with a more conventional form of heating?

Community heating

Community heating is often found in blocks of flats or on estates built at the same time. Usually gas or oil-fuelled, some biomass systems can also be see these days. Despite the fact that the boiler itself might not be incredibly efficient, the fact that the heating is split between many properties makes community heating a very efficient way to heat a group of properties. EPC software does not consider the efficiency of the boiler, simply the type of fuel used in the community system; but it is fair to say that community heating is looked upon favourably in the software.

Electric Ceiling Heating

Often found in 1970s-era buildings, ceiling heating is very much a relic of the past. Heat rises, so having your heating system in the ceiling means that a lot of heat is wasted and not felt in the room at all. As such the rating on properties with this heating system is going to be very low. We would recommend getting a different heating system installed as a matter of urgency if you want to cut your heating costs and improve the EPC rating. Switching just to a standard storage heater system will improve the rating by 30-40 points typically.

CHP

Combined Heat and Power, or CHP for short, is a new technology yet to really take off for domestic properties, but some homes are beginning to have these systems fitted. They are looked upon really favourably by the EPC software and you will get a better rating than with a standard gas boiler.

Room Heaters

If you happen not to have central heating, then you may have some form of room heater. This could be in the form of electric heaters that you plug in, gas heaters running off of Calor gas or the mains, or even solid fuel heaters running off wood.

Electric heaters will always be the least efficient and give you the worst rating in the EPC software, unless you have a storage system. Wood and oil room heaters will give a better rating, but still much lower than having a renewable heating system or gas central heating.

Room heaters are usually the most expensive way to heat a property because of the decentralisation of the heating and the lack of control you have in their use.

Flue Gas Heat Recovery and Waste Water Heat Recovery

Often shortened to FGHR and WWHR, these technologies simply try to recover as much heat as possible from the waste water and flue gas emitted from your home. They are rarely retrofitted and often only found on new build properties, to help bring them up to code. Having said that, where they are retrofitted, (usually on a big house refurbishment project), they can bring the rating up by a couple of points. Certainly not a cost-effective way to improve your EPC rating, but they will have a small impact.

Secondary heating – Easy rating improvement

If you have a fixed electric heater in your property, it will be input into the software as a secondary heating system – i.e. the software assumes it is used to complement the main system. Even if you never use this heater, the assessor must put it into the software. This can really drag the overall rating down, in some cases by 5 or 6 points or more. This can make all the difference between an E and an F-rating, so if you are struggling to get your rating up, check with your assessor whether they have included any secondary heating and how it is affecting the rating. It may be worth just getting any cheap electric heaters temporarily removed from the wall when the survey is done.

We get plenty of enquiries to carry out commercial EPCs on warehouses. In this blog, we are going to look at some of the things to look out for when getting your certificate, how you can maximise your rating, and the indicative costs.

What should you do to maximise your warehouse EPC rating?

As with all EPCs, the more information you can provide to your assessor, the more likely that the rating will be a fair reflection of the building. The use of default figures can drag the rating down, and these must be used if there is no evidence to the contrary.

Warehouses do have some unique characteristics that can impact their final EPC rating. For example:

• Whereas the EPC software must assume that most internal spaces are heated – with warehouses this is not the case. Any storage area in a warehouse does not need to be heated – so where lack of heating can negatively impact many other spaces like offices or shops, with warehouses the rating will not be affected and is therefore less important for the final rating. That being said, if your warehouse is heated, then it must be included, and the insulation levels and efficiency of the heating will make a difference just like in any other space.
• Lighting is quite important in warehouse spaces, especially when these areas are being used 24/7. It is really important that the lighting is low energy, and if you happen to have a lighting design for the building, even better. Lighting tends to play a big role in these spaces, especially when heating and insulation is less relevant.
• Warehouses are often split between the storage area and the office connected to it that handles the administration. Whilst the warehouse area does not need to be heated, the office areas do need to have adequate insulation and efficient heating to achieve the higher levels on the certificate.

How much does a warehouse EPC cost?

As with all EPCs the job is priced based on the size and the complexity of the site. Warehouses with little or no office attached can be relatively cheap, whilst larger units with considerable office admin areas attached will be more. A typical range would be £150 for the smallest units, up to £500 or more for the largest warehouse units.

Need to book a warehouse EPC?

Booking an EPC for your warehouse is really easy. Just give us a call on 0208 8192166 and we will get you booked in for a site visit in the next few days.

The age of a property is often indicative of the energy performance. Older properties were built back when building regulations were slacker and energy efficiency largely ignored or not understood, but the EPC software is based purely on figures that are entered and some defaults which must be assumed. So why do older properties still get lower ratings, despite having been refurbished?

Why are old properties inefficient?

Older properties built prior to 1930 will have solid brick walls, which offer poor insulation performance. Unless they have been retrofitted, they will have no insulation in the roof or floors. Period properties will have sash windows which are expensive to upgrade and are often in a state of disrepair.

Can you get a good rating on an older building?

Older buildings can get good EPC ratings, but it is important to remember that old buildings will have certain in-built defaults in the EPC software which will limit the final rating in many cases. To get the very best ratings, you will need to have plenty of documentary evidence to overturn these defaults and get the rating to move up into the top rating categories.

Are new builds always efficient?

New-build or recently constructed properties should be very efficient. The regulations governing the efficiency of modern buildings are very tight, and your property should have thick, high performing levels of insulation along with efficient heating, high performance glazing and potentially some renewable energy generation.

You should be aware, however, that the EPC issued when the building was constructed is always going to be higher than any follow up EPC carried out for whatever purpose. This is because new build EPCs are slightly different and go into more detail than an existing building EPC, and this means various defaults must be assumed that bring the rating down somewhat. You should still get a decent rating well above the UK average of 60 however.

What are the assumptions for EPC age bands?

If your property has inaccessible parts of the building then a default will have to be assumed. So, if you have an old loft conversion dating from the 1960s, then the software will assume that the insulation is equivalent to whatever the building regs were in the 1960s for roof room insulation.

For two of the most important types of insulation, the following is assumed by the software if no measurement or evidence of insulation can be found:

• Up to 1966 – No insulation in the cavity or loft
• Up to the late 1970s – A small amount of insulation is assumed in the loft, nothing in the cavity
• 1980s – Partial cavity insulation is assumed along with some loft insulation.
• 1990s – Cavities are assumed to be insulated on construction.
• 2000s – There are several bands of ages post 2000. Insulation is always assumed but the u-value (performance level) of this insulation gradually improves up to today’s regulations.

You should also note that extensions and loft conversions, where dateable, will be considered separately by the software, so it is possible that the main dwelling has poor thermal performance whilst the extension is very good. The performance is weighted relative to the sizes of the extensions and the main building, producing a combined figure for the final rating.

So bear in mind that the rating you get on your EPC will be affected by the age of the building, and if you do have an older property that has been improved over the years, keep any documentary evidence of this handy for the assessor.

In this blog we are going to be taking a look at retail shops. Shops tend to change hands particularly often these days, and so we get many requests to carry out an EPC for them. In this blog we are going to take a look at the important points to remember when booking this type of EPC.

How long does a retail EPC take?

With small retail units, the visit should last no longer than 20 minutes in most cases. The desktop work that follows the visit will take several hours to get through, so it is feasible to get a same day service in some cases, but will depend on the assessors schedule and what is agreed with the client.

What should you remember on your EPC visit?

Whilst there are some things that are universal to any EPC visit, there are a few specific things to remember when carrying out an EPC on a retail unit. The spaces in which the survey is being carried out are open to the public normally, so if you do not want the assessor interfering with the regular operation of the shop (with measurement taking and photos for example),then you may wish to arrange the visit for a time when the shop is closed, or arranging for the survey to take place at your least busy times.

Shops will usually have no heating, or heat pumps providing air conditioning. In order to get the best rating, we recommend you provide documentation on your system, showing the model numbers or the relevant system efficiencies. One other thing that can maximise your rating will be to provide evidence of the type of lighting you have – a pack from a spare bulb for example, will allow the assessor to include LED lighting in the modelling of your property.

How much do retail EPCs cost?

Small retail units like your average corner shop are really straight forward to carry out a survey on. When the unit is small, and only consists of a couple of rooms, the cost is going to be no more than £120+VAT in most cases. For larger retail spaces, ranging all the way up to department stores, costs will be somewhat more. Because retail units tend to have large open plan spaces with one use, the cost is not as high as doing an EPC on an office unit however.

Booking your Retail Shop EPC

If you would like to book in an EPC survey for your shop, just give us a call and we can get that booked in for you. The number is 0208 8192166.

Getting an EPC tends to be left to the last minute for those selling homes or getting new tenants. It is understandable – there are so many things to remember when you are selling or letting a property that the EPC slips down the list of things to do, until you end up stuck trying to find a surveyor at the last minute.

That means that often our customers are looking for fast turnarounds for their certificates, so here’s what we do to try and accommodate you:

• We offer flexible bookings – Whilst we can’t always promise your first choice time slot, we will do our best to get an assessor with you first thing in the morning, or in the evening when you get back from work.
• We turn EPCs around quickly – We get a draft EPC back to you the following day in nearly all cases, and where requested we may be able to turn it around the same day! Remember, it is really important that any information we request is available or there may be a delay in issuing the EPC.
• We use in-house assessors – We have an in-house team of assessors that complete our surveys, which means we won’t let you down. Where many other EPC companies will sub-contract work out to the lowest (and often least reliable) bidder, we use our own assessors to ensure jobs get done properly.
• We offer flexible payment – As with many other EPC providers, we do ask that we receive payment before issuing the EPC on the register, but what we can do is offer a lot of options with regards payment methods. We can take BACS payment via invoice, card payment via WorldPay, or cash or cheque on the day.
• No extra cost for expedited EPCs – Because we know that you want your EPCs fast, we don’t charge any extra for an expedited service; we will just try our very best to accommodate our valued customers.

Next-day commercial EPCs

All of the above applies to our commercial EPCs too. Commercial EPCs are a little more involved and take a bit longer to compile, but we still endeavour to provide the same level of service. A draft of your EPC should be with you the following day if you tell us you are in a rush to receive it. Remember, because commercial certificates take more time, you have to give our assessor the time to work on the certificate before it is emailed out to you. They should have a good idea of the time span as soon as they visit the property, so it is worth asking the assessor directly onsite if you have a time scale you need to work to.

If you would like to book an EPC with us, just give us a call and we will book you in at the earliest opportunity. The number is 0208 819 2166.

Please remember that there are a few things outside of our control which may prevent expedited issuing of EPCs. For example, the address may need adjusting or adding to the Landmark Database, where all addresses are stored. Sometimes the accreditation body may have downtime on their servers which will prevent us from lodging the report. We are sorry, but from time to time this can delay the lodgement procedure, through no fault of our own.