Energy Assessors J V

LSL Property Services
19 March 2007


 
For Immediate Release                                              19 March 2007

                                        
                            LSL Property Services plc
                                        
                         Energy Assessors Joint Venture
                                                                                

LSL Property Services (LSL) and Connells Group today launched
energy-assessors.com, a Joint Venture which aims to be the market leader in
panel management and the supply of Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs).


From 1 June 2007 it will be compulsory for sellers to have a Home Information
Pack (HIP) in place, which includes an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC)
provided by a qualified Domestic Energy Assessor (DEA), before they can commence
marketing their property.

Through the unique strength of its founding partners, energy-assessors.com
expects to have at least 870 individuals who are qualified and available to
carry out EPCs from 1 June 2007. Spearheading this initiative will be 300
employed DEAs supported by 100 Home Inspectors together with 470 Chartered
Surveyors who are exclusively available for the Joint Venture and are already
employed by LSL and Connells.

energy-assessors.com will have the capacity to supply in excess of 500,000 EPCs
per annum compared to an expected total market requirement of circa 1.8m per
annum. Both e.surv (part of LSL's surveying division) and Connells Survey &
Valuation are leading survey and valuation panel managers and are able to ensure
that energy-assessors.com has the flexibility to meet customers' needs
throughout any fluctuations in demand arising from the peaks and troughs in the
housing market. Both Joint Venture parties intend to grow the business beyond
the 300 dedicated DEAs and have employment terms and training packages available
for those wishing to join this new profession created by the Government.

energy-assessors.com has already secured contractual commitments to sell 150,000
EPCs and expects to win annual orders for more than 500,000. These volumes will
ensure that DEAs employed by energy-assessors.com have the widest choice of jobs
and the greatest opportunity to maximise their income.

Simon Embley, Group Chief Executive of LSL Property Services said: 'This
combination of forces will provide enough energy assessors to service almost one
third of the entire market, which is reassuring for estate agents and the
home-owning public. This should resolve market rumours that there will be a
shortage of Energy Assessors on the 1 June this year.'

Stephen Shipperley, Group Chief Executive of Connells Group added:
'energy-assessors.com is expected to become the market leader in providing
training for anyone wishing to begin a new career as an Energy Assessor.
Therefore we are confident we will become the market leader in providing both
large and small scale HIP providers with a professional, timely and
cost-effective means of delivering Energy Performance Certificates.'


                                     -ENDS-                                     


For further information, please contact:

Stephen Callaghan, Chief Executive, energy-assessors.com

07779 134 155

Or Sarah Randle/ John Wriglesworth at The Wriglesworth Consultancy on 
020 7845 7900, or [e-mail]

Or Richard Darby/ Nicola Cronk at Buchanan Communications on 020 7466 5000

 

Notes to editors

LSL Property Services plc is one of the leading residential property services
companies in the UK and provides a broad range of services to its customers who
are principally mortgage lenders, as well as buyers and sellers of residential
properties. LSL's main operations are its surveying business, which operates
under the e.surv and Chancellors Associates brands, its estate agency business,
which operates under the Your Move and Reeds Rains brands, and its financial
services business.

For further information, please visit LSL's website: www.lslps.co.uk

 

The Connells Group comprises three estate agency businesses; Connells, Sequence
and Sharman Quinney. The Connells Group is the second largest estate agency
network in the country. As well as operating under the Connells and Sharman
Quinney names it also trades under 11 other well-known local brands within the
Sequence business, including William H Brown, Barnard Marcus and Fox & Sons.

In 1996, Skipton Building Society acquired a majority stake in the company with
Connells senior management taking a 25% shareholding. Connells Group is a
strategic shareholder in the UK's number one property website, Rightmove.co.uk.

 For further information, please visit Connells' website: www.connells.co.uk

 

                      This information is provided by RNS
            The company news service from the London Stock Exchange