Commercial Energy Performance Certificate

From 1st October 2008, all non-domestic buildings on construction, sale and rent require a Non-Domestic Energy Performance Certificate (NDEPC) and a Recommendation Report (RR). This information is designed to help owners and occupiers make their building more energy efficient and allow potential buyers and tenants to compare the energy performance of different buildings.

You must display an EPC by fixing it to your commercial building if all these apply:

The total useful floor area is over 500 square meters.
The building is frequently visited by the public.
An EPC has already been produced for the building’s sale, rental or construction.

You don’t need an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) if you can demonstrate that the building is any of these:

Listed or officially protected and the minimum energy performance requirements would unacceptably alter it.
A temporary building only going to be used for 2 years or less
used as a place of worship or for other religious activities
An industrial site, workshop or non-residential agricultural building that doesn’t use much energy.
A detached building with a total floor space under 50 square metres
Due to be demolished by the seller or landlord and they have all the relevant planning and conservation consents.

A building is also exempt if all of the following are true:

It’s due to be sold or rented out with vacant possession.
It’s suitable for demolition and the site could be redeveloped.
The buyer or tenant has applied for planning permission to demolish it.

Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES)

As from the 1st April 2018 there is a requirement for any properties rented out in the private rented sector to have a minimum energy performance rating of E on an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). The regulations came into force for new lets and renewals of tenancies with effect from 1st April 2018 and for all existing tenancies on 1st April 2020. It will be unlawful to rent a property which breaches the requirement for a minimum E rating, unless there is an applicable exemption. A civil penalty of up to £4,000 will be imposed for breaches. There are separate regulations effective from 1st April 2016 under which a tenant can apply for consent to carry out energy efficiency improvements in privately rented properties.

For most landlords this will mean that they will no longer be able to rent out a property with a rating of F or G after April 1st 2018.

Please see the Government guidance document:

The Domestic Private Rented Property Minimum Standard

Guidance for landlords and Local Authorities on the minimum level of energy efficiency required to let domestic property under the Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property) (England and Wales) Regulations 2015.