Energy Performance Certificates in Kentish Town

Common property types

• Fortess Road Victorian Terraces: The terraces on and around Fortess Road represent the core of Kentish Town's Victorian housing stock. These mid-terrace and end-of-terrace houses, mostly two and three stories, were built in the 1870s to 1900s with solid brick walls and Welsh slate roofs. Many have been converted into two or three flats. EPC assessments focus on the age and specification of heating systems, glazing, and any rear extension construction.
• Leighton Road Converted Houses: Leighton Road and its side streets contain larger Victorian terraces that have been converted into good-sized flats, popular with young professionals. These conversions retain much of the original fabric, including solid brick walls and high ceilings. Where properties have been extended to the rear in a different construction era, assessors note the change in build method and apply appropriate heat loss values.
• Highgate Road Large Semis: The properties fronting and running behind Highgate Road include a number of substantial Victorian semi-detached houses with three or four storeys. These larger properties often have greater variation in insulation and heating systems across different parts of the building, and the assessment benefits from careful documentation of each main element. Many have undergone modern boiler replacements, which significantly improves the rating.
• Modern Developments near Camden Road: The lower end of Kentish Town, towards Camden, has seen several modern residential developments in recent decades. These newer blocks - including those on the former industrial sites near Kentish Town Road - have cavity wall construction, double glazing, and mechanical ventilation with heat recovery in some cases. EPC assessors record the specific specifications from building documentation where available.

Typical EPC issues we find in Kentish Town

• Solid Wall Mid-Terrace Properties: The majority of Kentish Town terraces have solid brick walls with no cavity. Mid-terrace properties have only front and back exposed walls, which limits total heat loss but still results in lower ratings than equivalent cavity-wall properties. Solid wall insulation is the main recommended measure in surveys here.
• Boiler Replacement History: Kentish Town properties vary widely in when they last had their boiler replaced. An ageing back boiler system will produce a much lower rating than a modern condensing combi, and the difference can be several EPC bands. Assessors note the boiler make, model, and approximate installation year.
• Draught Proofing and Air Permeability: Older converted flats in Kentish Town often have poor air sealing around window frames, floor edges, and service penetrations. While draught proofing measures do not have a large individual impact on the rating, they appear as a low-cost recommendation in most surveys.
• Lack of Heating in Basement Conversions: Some basement and lower ground floor conversions in Kentish Town use electric panel heaters or portable heaters rather than gas central heating. This significantly reduces the EPC rating and can result in E or even F band scores for otherwise well-maintained properties.