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If you have spent any time delving into Non-Domestic Energy Performance Assessors in the last few months, you’ve presumably seen how perplexing it can be. Landlords and property managers are responsible for ensuring that an Energy Performance Certificate is made available. Failure to provide an EPC means you may be liable for a fine ranging from £500 – £5000. EPCs are not required for listed buildings. This is because improvements such as installing double glazing are often prohibited because they require structural changes. Different activities can result in different periods of occupancy and different required temperatures, as well as varying requirements for lighting and hot water supply. The energy consumption and carbon dioxide emissions are calculated by considering these demands in relation to the details of the building services. A building stripped of services will have a poor EPC rating and will likely not pass the minimum EPC rating required in England & Wales. The EPC rating may be a G when marketed. An agreement may be drawn up to say the building is to be let on a licence in the first instance and that the new tenant fits out the building to meet MEES before it is then leased on a long term lease. Legal advice should be sought. It’s a legal requirement for Landlords to have an EPC when renting out a property and this EPC must have been completed within the past 10 years otherwise it’s invalid. It’s also illegal for Landlords to rent out properties if the rating is below an E. The Government has also imposed new rules about Landlords and EPC’s. Landlords can now be fined up to £30,000 if they fail to meet the EPC requirements. The Energy Performance of Buildings Directive (EPBD) imposed the implementation of Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) for most property, whether commercial or residential over 50 m², with only a few exceptions. Since March 2022, all privately rented homes in Scotland must have an EPC rating between A and E. And from April 2022, all new tenancies have required a rating of D or above. All rented homes must be rated D or above by 31 March 2025, although it’s possible this date will be altered because of delays caused by Covid. Unlike in England and Wales, all historic buildings require an EPC before they’re allowed to be rented out. The cost of an EPC depends on the type and size of the property. There are no fixed fees, so it’s worth asking for quotes from several registered domestic energy assessors. The cost may be as little as £60 or as much as £120. If you arrange an EPC via an estate agent, rather than booking directly with a DEA, the price will be higher. Where an owner owns a block of flats and the flats are capable of separate occupation then an EPC is required for each dwelling. Guidance may be where each has individual council tax demand. You cannot commission one EPC for the whole building. The Energy Act 2011 contains a number of provisions that affect owners of property; the most significant of these is MEES, which aims to improve the energy efficiency of the most energy inefficient properties. MEES also contributes to the UK legislative targets of reducing CO2 emissions for all buildings to around zero by 2050. You may be asking yourself how does a non domestic epc register fit into all of this? Recommendations The Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is based on a rating system that evaluates a building’s energy efficiency. The property’s energy efficiency is graded from A to G to inform prospective buyers or renters. Since 2007, anyone wishing to develop, sell, or rent a building has been required by law to obtain an EPC certificate. This is why an EPC is so vital for landlords. An EPC is not a structural or building survey, condition report or property valuation. An EPC should not be read as a comment on the overall condition of the property nor will it comment on the presence or otherwise of asbestos, high alumina cement concrete, additives including calcium chloride, or any building defects or hazardous materials. Investing in predictive maintenance is crucial. After installing sensors on the assets, equipment and distribution networks in a commercial property, engineering teams can track energy efficiency and calculate when systems may begin to underperform. In turn, these insights will give landlords the data-rich evidence they need to invest in more energy-efficient systems or renewable energy sources. It is worthy of note that a property built to 2010 Building Regulations is likely to achieve a C rating, with only the most carefully designed buildings achieving better, however it is possible a well insulated period building with efficient replacement boilers and light fittings can also achieve very good ratings. However, if the period building is listed, the property no longer requires an EPC for sales or lettings. Whether you are selling a property or deciding to let out your current home, having an Energy Performance Certificate is a vital part to ensuring you are fully compliant. It is a legal document and every property is required to have one before selling or letting. A well-thought-out strategy appertaining to epc commercial property can offer leaps and bounds in improvements. The new Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards will make your home more energy efficient, reducing carbon emissions and helping you save money on your energy bills. As a landlord, it’s vital that you find out more about this new EPC legislation and take steps to ensure rental properties meet the standards before their previous requirements. Your heating system can have a big impact on your property’s energy efficiency. And if your boiler is inefficient, it could be having a major effect on your EPC rating. Boilers don’t come cheap, but in the long term, a modern, energy efficient boiler will pay for itself through reduced heating bills. Under the existing MEES requirements, landlords of commercial properties in England and Wales are prohibited from granting a new lease unless the property has an EPC rating of an E or higher (except where certain exemptions apply). This does not currently apply to existing leases. A Domestic Energy Assessor will carry out a number of checks on your property, taking into account heating, lighting & dimensions throughout the building to identify areas where heat may be lost, through windows, ceilings and walls for example. The property will be inspected to give an indication of how much it will cost to power and heat your home. The EPC also identifies the amount you could potentially save should you improve the energy efficiency of the household running costs as outlined within the Certificate. Green Deal Finance allows you to pay for some of the cost of your energy improvements in instalments under a Green Deal Plan (note that this is a credit agreement, but with instalments being added to the electricity bill for the property). The availability of a Green Deal Plan will depend upon your financial circumstances. There is a limit to how much Green Deal Finance can be used, which is determined by how much energy the improvements are estimated to save for a 'typical household'. Do your research about commercial epc before entering into any long term transactions. National EPC Register If you are looking to privately rent a property, checking the EPC could help give you an idea of what the energy bill costs could be (although the actual cost will also depend on your own energy usage). Non-domestic or a commercial Energy Assessment, in the form of a registered Non- Domestic Energy Performance Certificate is required before a property can be advertised for rental, sale, or letting. If a building is designed or altered for use as separate accommodation, each part may require its own EPC. A single or multiple EPC depends on the type of heating system in place or future plans for the property. Replacing existing lighting with LEDs is one of the easiest and most cost-effective ways to improve an EPC rating. Of course, the extent of improvement will depend on what’s already in situ. Where a building has very old fluorescent lighting, replacing it with LEDS will likely mean a big win. But LEDs will be an advantage to any building. Greenwashing can be found across the construction industry, with companies using vague claims and unclear language such as ‘eco’, ‘sustainable’ and ‘natural products’ without actually explaining what it means. If your consultant is able to sniff out a greenwasher from a crowd, this will be great for your project and your outcomes. Its always best to consult the experts when considering mees these days. An EPC gives the property a number of points between 0-100, which equates to a rating between an A (highest) and a G (lowest). In 2018 the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) were brought in to prevent any properties rated lower than an E being rented out, however it is important to note that the MEES have no impact on properties being bought and sold. Energy savings will not only result in a financial boost, but also reduce emissions and make your business more environmentally-friendly. In order to get the most out of this investment, it is important that you choose an experienced provider who has access to all the necessary resources and capabilities. Furthermore, be sure to track progress regularly so you know exactly what needs doing (and where improvements may be needed). For rental properties, the energy rating can help rent out your property. They indicate to a prospective buyer or tenant how energy efficient your home is. It should also provide information that may help to reduce the running cost of the property. An EPC can also be used as a great bargaining chip. If you’re considering buying a property with a low EPC rating, this could help you negotiate the house price down. Alternatively, you might also be able to haggle a lower rent. EPCs include recommendations for making your home more energy-efficient, commonly including measures such as insulation, double glazing, air source heat pumps, solar panels and LED lighting. The EPC provides estimated costs of installing these measures and the potential savings you can achieve by making these changes. Professional assistance in relation to mees regulations can make or break a commercial building project. Commercial EPC Assessors A penalty for failing to produce a valid commercial EPC to any prospective buyer or tenant when selling or letting non-dwellings is fixed, in most cases, at 12.5% of the rateable value of the building. In addition, there is a minimum fine of £500 and a maximum penalty of £5,000. Where the above formula can’t be applied to a case, there is a default £750 fine. There currently isn’t a minimum EPC rating for properties for sale. Nevertheless, an EPC is required during the transaction — whether that’s transferring a land title from a pension fund, passing your property to a relative, or selling it to somebody else. The MEES regulations prohibit landlords from granting any new leases of buildings with an energy efficiency rating as shown on an EPC of below an E so called 'sub-standard' properties unless the transaction is excepted from the regulations or an exemption applies and that exemption has been registered. The prohibition on granting leases of sub-standard properties also applies to renewal leases and extensions of existing tenancies. You can discover further particulars relating to Non-Domestic Energy Performance Assessors on this UK Government Website article. Related Articles: Further Insight About Low Carbon Energy Assessors More Information With Regard To Non-Domestic EPC Contractors Further Insight On Non-Domestic Energy Performance Certificate Contractors Additional Information About Commercial Energy Performance Assessors Supplementary Findings With Regard To Low Carbon Energy Assessors Supplementary Information On Non-Domestic Energy Performance Certificate Contractors Supplementary Information About Non-Domestic EPC Assessors