The much-trumpeted introduction of home information packs has led to a radical life change for a senior schoolteacher and his health authority commissioner wife.

Nigel and Jackie Ingham, of Longden, near Shrewsbury, have fulfilled a long-held dream of launching their own business – and it’s thanks, in part, to the new law on home selling.

All homes with three bedrooms or more now need a HIP to go on the market – and pretty soon that will incorporate other dwellings, as well as public and commercial buildings.

One of the key parts of the HIP is the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) for which expert assessors are required.

Nigel and Jackie spotted a gap in the market and moved quickly to plug it. Nigel gave up his job as Head of Science at a Staffordshire school after 25 years in teaching, while Jackie resigned from her Shropshire Primary Care Trust post – and together they set up Ingham Domestic Energy Assessors Ltd.

The couple have already been in demand and have carried out more than 40 energy inspections at a wide variety of homes in the county.

“It seems to be going very well, so far,” said Jackie. “I’ve always wanted to run my own business and, in the past, we thought about running a shop or a pub.

“We have always been interested in energy use and conservation of the environment so this seemed like an ideal opportunity for us to work in an area that we are passionate about.

“The HIPs legislation came in and it seemed like the right time to take the plunge. There is a statutory element to HIPs which means there will always be a market,” added Jackie, who has a business background and read economics at university.

From a family point of view the timing was also right as their son and daughter had grown up.

The Inghams retrained to gain the ABBE Level 3 Diploma in Domestic Energy assessment and are now accredited with the National Home Energy Rating Scheme.

“We wanted to make sure we had thorough training, which is essential if you are going to have credibility,” said Nigel. “The training providers we had were brilliant and, not only have we received accreditation but also have a support network with a helpline six days a week.”

They then set about getting the business known and are full of praise for the support they have had from estate agents in Shropshire, Energy Plus and Shropshire HIPs (SHIPs).

They also feel there will be enough business to buffer them against the inevitable troughs in the housing market.

“We have got in right at the start, which we felt was important. It means we will be established when the scheme expands,” said Nigel.

“The EPC is part of the European Union Directive on the Energy Performance of Buildings 2003, which must be in place for all buildings when constructed, sold or rented out by January 2009. In the UK it is currently being applied to houses for sale that have three bedrooms or more.

Next year, between April and October, it will also apply to rented commercial properties and to public buildings. And from October next year it will apply to all domestic rented property.

“We are in a position to undertake energy performance inspections for domestic, public and rental properties. We use national software and a standard inspection procedure to produce the EPC. An energy inspection involves an assessment of the cost of providing energy to that house in terms of heating, water and lighting.

“When we arrive at a customer’s house we introduce ourselves and start by taking external measurements and details, such as the heat loss perimeter of the building and the type of construction. Our next step is to enter the house and take internal measurements and details, such as the type of fuel and boiler used and the size of the hot-water tank. We also look at whether the property has rooms in the roof, extensions, a separated or unseparated conservatory and the amount of loft insulation.”

“On returning to the office, all the details are entered into the software and a report produced which categorises the energy efficiency of the house on a scale of A to G, where A is the highest, similar to the scheme used on white goods such as fridges.

“The report also uses a similar category to show the environmental impact in terms of CO2 emissions. Recommendations are made for improving the energy performance of the house, such as installing low-energy light bulbs, increasing loft insulation and retro-fill of cavity walls,” added Nigel.

The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive has been introduced for all EU countries to help reduce CO2 emissions by 60 per cent by 2050 – and 27 per cent of all carbon dioxide emissions are from homes.

Ingham Domestic Energy Assessors Ltd can be contacted on 01743 861100, or email idea@idea-ingham.co.uk or visit www.idea-ingham.co.uk