EPC Assessors

Have you ever been torn between buying from a Professionally Qualified Domestic Energy Assessors organisation that exhibits the same social ideals as yourself and another that does not? Do you ever give thought to your values that shape your decision making on this subject?

A EPC minimum rating of C or above is required for landlords by 2025. Failure to provide a valid EPC may cause you to pay a fine of up to £5,000. They should also have an updated EPC when renting out their property. EPCs are only valid for ten years to have a consistent report of how efficient the property is. It has been a legal requirement to obtain an EPC for commercial properties for over a decade. Failure to obtain a valid EPC certificate may lead to a financial penalty between £500-£5,000. It’s worth noting that there are some exemptions that apply for commercial properties including certain listed properties, places of worship or temporary buildings. An EPC rating is a score based on a review of your home's energy effiency. Properties are scored from A (Highly efficient) to G (Inefficient). The more efficent your property, the higher your EPC rating and the cheaper your energy bills. The official energy performance assessment can only be carried out by a certified energy assessor. It is possible to calculate the EPC yourself to estimate its value, but in no case will this estimate be valid for selling or renting a property. The calculation must take into account several criteria such as the year of construction of the property, its surface area and if it is attached to other buildings. The EPC register is the government’s online database containing every EPC in the UK. The register can be used in several ways. For example, using the register’s EPC retrieval page, you can search for a property’s energy performance certificate by postcode. This is useful for looking up your own certificate and also for finding the certificate of a property you are considering moving into. A Commercial EPC assesses a building by giving a standard energy and carbon emission efficiency grade from ‘A’ to ‘G’. An ‘A’ is the best and ‘G’ the worst, with an average rating of a commercial property to date being D/E.



As a result of an EU directive it is required by law to show a valid Energy Performance Certificate when selling or leasing a commercial building. The directive came into effect in 2008 and certificates are valid for 10 years. EPCs, known also as Energy Performance Certificates , are detailed reports into the energy efficiency of a property or building. EPCs are divided into two further subcategories, Domestic and Non-Domestic. Domestic, or Residential EPCs, illustrate the efficiency rating of privately owned houses and apartments. Non-Domestic, or Commercial EPCs, provide ratings for buildings such as offices, restaurants or retail shops. An EPC includes information on what the energy efficiency rating could be if you made the recommended improvements and highlights cost effective ways to achieve a better rating. Even if you rent your home, you could still implement some improvements noted on the EPC, such as switching to more energy efficient light bulbs. As soon as a building is in the process of being offered for sale or rent, it is the responsibility of the seller or landlord (i.e. the relevant person) to make available free of charge an EPC to any prospective buyer. A solid understanding of mees makes any related process simple and hassle free.

Minimum Energy Performance Standards

EPC ratings are increasingly important for a range of reasons, so if your EPC is wrong it could cause issues for you. Your EPC rating affects the resale and letting of properties, and it can also prevent you from accessing Government grants, so it is important that your EPC is right. The better the insulation (both cavity wall if necessary and roof and loft), the less heat that will be lost from the property. This means that more heat is kept inside where it is required, with less air infiltration into the ‘building envelope,’ all helping to ensure better energy efficiency, less heat loss and lowered energy and heating bills. This also includes the glazing of a property. Double or triple glazing will contribute to a much better insulated property. Any property that is built, sold or rented needs an EPC. As a rule, it’s a requirement that properties in England, Scotland and Wales have an EPC in place before marketing of the property commences. An accredited energy assessor will conduct a visual inspection of your property for an EPC for domestic properties. They will take a measured survey, photographs, and calculate the EPC rating by recording lights, windows, heating, and radiators. Non-domestic EPC results may well differ slightly from a few years ago even although nothing in the building has changed. The current SBEM engine is version 4 and even since version 3.5 there have been changes made that will effect the way the calculation engine determines the EPC rating. We have found that the most recent SBEM version is likely to improve the rating a building achieves. Changes to the approved software method have reduced during 2013 2014 with the expectation that any further changes will be small so as to create a level platform for comparison. Maximising potential for epc commercial property isn't the same as meeting client requirements and expectations.

An EPC is valid for 10 years although if changes are made to the building then the rating will change. If improvements to the building envelope or building services are made then a new EPC should reflect the improvements and the EPC rating would be better. If relying on the EPC for a transaction it may be advantageous to renew the EPC. From 1st April 2020 the MESS regulation applies to all domestic and non-domestic rented properties. It is now unlawful to let a property to new tenants or renew to existing domestic tenants if the property has an EPC with a rating below E (i.e. F and G). In order for the Government to hit their carbon targets, MEES standards are set to rise before 2030 to a Band D or even a Band C. Before marketing a building for sale or rent a person acting on behalf of the seller or landlord (for example, the estate or letting agent) must be satisfied that an EPC has been commissioned for that building. An EPC must be produced by an accredited energy assessor who is a member of a government approved accreditation scheme. An EPC, also known as an Energy Performance Certificate, is an indication of how energy efficient your home is. The UK government is committed to demonstrating the importance of having a good EPC score, by providing property owners with benefits, guidelines, and minimum standards. Commercial EPCs are prepared using government approved IES (Integrated Environmental Solutions) software for your confidence. Assessors will conduct a site survey to identify your building’s rating based on factors such as the heating, lighting and ventilation. Alongside the EPC rating you will also receive a recommendations report, with actionable tips on how to improve energy performance and meet the minimum standards set by MEES regulations. Can a mees regulations solve the problems that are inherent in this situation?

Changing EPC Regulations

Bear in mind that EPCs don’t reflect the current condition of fabric or fittings. They’re also based on standard assumptions about occupancy and energy use, so they do not take account of actual energy use. An EPC isn’t optional. They’re a legal requirement when constructing, selling or renting out a building. You must order one before you market your property to sell or rent, and then provide it free of charge to a prospective buyer or tenant. EPCs were introduced by the European Union initiative (Directive 2002/91/EC – EPBD) to help drive energy efficiency across all the member states. As energy consumption is increasing, so are CO2 emissions that go hand in hand with it. Upgrading your roof installation or cavity wall insulation is the single biggest thing you can do to improve your properties energy efficiency. Replace your halogen spotlights with LED bulbs – these energy-saving lights are a cheap and easy way to up your EPC rating. Adding solar panels or other innovative measures, such as biomass boilers, can really improve your EPC score and are essential if you’re aiming for the highest rating possible. If you are renting, selling or commissioning a new building you have to have an EPC – it is a legal requirement. Once you have have one, it will be valid for 10 years, unless there is a material change to the building, for example: there is a change of use, there are significant changes to the fabric of the building, significant extensions to the property and /or changes to the provision of fixed services then a new EPC will have to be produced. A well-thought-out strategy appertaining to non domestic epc register can offer leaps and bounds in improvements.

An Energy Performance Certificate is a document tailored specifically for your property which details information about the energy use and typical energy costs of the dwelling. It also provides information about how to reduce energy usage and save money. The certificate provides the property with an energy efficiency rating from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient) and is valid for 10 years. Your EPC will have two main charts with the rating bands. The bands go from A to G, with A being the best rating your home can have, and G being the worst. In the chart, you can see the current rating and potential rating, if you were to carry out the recommended home improvement. The numbers in each rating reflect the government's Standard Assessment Procedure (SAP) and go from 1 to 100 SAP points. A Commercial Energy Performance Certificate is required at the point of marketing and should be made available to the applicant at the earliest opportunity. It is also required when the lease is renewed. It is usually done when the property is being let or sold and is valid for 10 years unless the thermal elements are changed. e.g. if double glazing is changed or the boiler is updated to a better model. If you’re not sure what the EPC rating on your property is, you can search the EPC register. If your property doesn’t have an EPC, you’ll need to appoint an accredited assessor to visit your property and produce a certificate. You can search for an assessor on the EPC register if you live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland. If you live in Scotland, you can search on the Scottish EPC register. EPC costs might vary, so seek an estimate first. The assessor can provide you a price estimate so you'll know just how much it will cost. In the assessment market, there are a variety of pricing options. With a little research, you may locate a price range that fits your budget. Conducting viability appraisals with respect to commercial epc is useful from the outset of any project.

Accurate Energy Efficiency Ratings

Reducing energy consumption at home is one of the most important things we can do to help end ourcontribution to climate change and reach our net zero target. Net zero is when the amount of greenhouse gas emissions we put into the atmosphere and the amount we’re able to take out will add up to zero. To achieve the UK’s Net Zero Carbon target by 2050, the Government will be tightening the EPC regulations over the next few years in hopes that it will encourage enough investment to improve energy efficiency and better behaviours all-round. It is in the interests of both landlords and homeowners (especially those who plan to sell their property at some point) to continue to improve the energy efficiency of their properties to achieve a higher rating where necessary. While the minimum energy rating is currently E, this is likely to change in the coming years, as the government strives to reduce carbon emissions through improving the energy efficiency of properties. You can find further info on the topic of Professionally Qualified Domestic Energy Assessors at this UK Government Website entry.

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