Energy Performance Certificates in Plaistow

Common property types

• Victorian terraces on Balaam Street: Two and three bedroom terraces from the 1880s-1900s line Balaam Street, Greengate Street and surrounding roads. Built with solid brick, slate roofs and minimal decoration, these compact homes typically rate D or E on their EPC.
• Inter-war council houses: Properties around Prince Regent Lane and Memorial Avenue built in the 1920s-1930s feature cavity brick walls, hipped roofs and larger footprints than the Victorian stock. With cavity fill and loft insulation, these can reach C ratings.
• Post-war estate flats: Low and medium-rise blocks from the 1950s-1970s around Plaistow, including concrete-framed and brick-clad designs, house many local residents. Ratings depend heavily on whether electric or gas heating is fitted, with many rating D or E.
• Converted Victorian flats: Many Balaam Street and Greengate Street terraces have been divided into 2-3 self-contained flats. Ground-floor and top-floor units typically rate worse than middle floors due to additional heat loss through floors and roofs respectively.

Typical EPC issues we find in Plaistow

• Back boilers still in use: A surprising number of Plaistow terraces still rely on back boilers fitted behind gas fires, particularly in older rental stock. These are extremely inefficient and replacing them is the single most effective EPC improvement available.
• Lean-to rear extensions: Many Victorian terraces have been extended with single-storey rear additions featuring thin walls, flat roofs and poor insulation. These cold extensions drag down the overall property rating and are often the cheapest part of the home to improve.
• Solid walls with no practical external insulation route: Plaistow's terraces are tightly packed with narrow front areas and shared rear walls, making external insulation impractical in most cases. Internal insulation is the only option, reducing already modest room sizes.
• Pre-payment meter fuel tariffs: While fuel tariff does not directly affect the EPC calculation, many Plaistow tenants use pre-payment meters with higher unit costs. A better EPC rating translates to greater real savings for these households, making improvements particularly worthwhile.