Working as a multi-skilled Commercial and Domestic Energy Assessor, Home Inspector and Flood Risk Assessor

On gaining the qualifications trainees have three options. Firstly they can be available to work for our two sister companies HIP HIP hooray.com and the Energy Assessor Panel and, if opting to do this, they also receive a subsidy towards the cost of their training. Secondly, they are free to work for other HIP and Assessor providers they locate or thirdly they can start their own Inspector and Assessor consultancy business, as some other qualifying trainees have already done. Our two Companies have invested over £1.4m in their aim to be amongst the Industry’s leading HIP and Assessor providers and HIP HIP hooray.com has signed many estate agents to use its services either exclusively or as one of their HIP Providers. The Energy Assessor Panel is contacting lettings agents and commercial agents with a view to providing them from October with Energy Assessments. Flood Risk industry bodies are also being consulted with a view to our Home Inspectors providing Flood Risk Assessments.

The aim of the two Companies is to develop thriving businesses and to provide as many qualifying trainees as possible with work, although this cannot be guaranteed as it will depend on the market share gained. Upon Government making Home Condition Reports compulsory, HIP HIP hooray.com and its qualifying Home Inspectors should be in a prime position to take advantage of the large number of extra Home Condition Reports that will be required.

Trainees selected for the Course and opting to be available to work for HIP HIP hooray.com and the Energy Assessor Panel on qualifying, have their course substantially subsidised by way of a payment agreement between us and the Companies. This subsidy applies whether or not any work is ultimately provided and trainees can opt out of their subsidy obligations at any time by simply paying the amount of the subsidy.

HIP HIP hooray.com’s current fee scales* for its Home Inspectors for Home Condition Reports are between £200 for a one-bedroom flat and £300 for a five-bedroom house and between £60 and £80 for Energy Assessments. These fees may well vary due to the Industry still being relatively new but Energy Assessment fees may increase this October when the estimated 1.8 million properties being let in the first year start needing Assessments. Fees for Home Condition Reports may rise too, upon Government making them mandatory. It is too early to accurately predict the fees in October for Commercial Energy Assessments but these take much longer than Domestic Assessments and the fees should therefore be substantially higher. Fees for Flood Risk Assessments and Flood Damage Reports are also difficult to predict as Home Inspectors have never done this sort of work before but they are likely to be between the fees for Domestic Energy Assessments and Home Condition Reports.

We estimate that up to 6 Home Condition Reports or 6 Commercial Energy Assessments should be possible in a week once some experience has been gained or alternatively up to 15 Domestic Energy Assessments or 15 Flood Risk Assessments. A week’s work is likely to be a combination of these and will depend on the size of properties and most importantly the supply. However, doing in a week, for example, just 2 Reports or Commercial Assessments for average sized properties at £250 each and 6 to 8 Energy Assessments or Flood Risk Assessments for an average of £70 would still generate a considerable gross fee income. On-going expenses, once set up, are expected to be relatively minor compared with potential fee income and consist mainly of travel costs to properties and nominal Lodgement fees, that currently include professional indemnity insurance.

More detailed information is given at a training course selection interview and precise terms of training and possible work through HIP HIP hooray.com and the Energy Assessor Panel are provided in two written Agreements. The Course fee, possible course subsidy, fees for exams and Portfolio Assessments are also given at the interview.

*Fees as at June 2008 when this version of the website was posted. Check with us for latest fees.