Commercial Energy Performance Certificates (EPC) promote the improvement of the energy performance of a building and, following European Directive 2002/91/EC must be provided as soon as a building is offered for sale or to let (including the assignment of a lease).
It is the responsibility of the seller to provide the EPC to a prospective buyer or tenant for a building which uses energy to condition i.e. heat or cool the building. There are very few exceptions where an EPC may not be required e.g. places of worship and temporary buildings.
All EPC’s must be prepared by a qualified , registered non-domestic energy assessor and you can check the individuals accreditation at the website www.ndepcregister.com.
The energy rating given on the certificate reflects the intrinsic energy performance standard of the building relative to a benchmark and can aid comparison with other similar buildings. The EPC will always be accompanied by a Recommendation Report which comprises a list of suggested improvements to the heating, lighting and ventilation of the building.
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you require any guidance on these requirements or on the content of the Certificate and Recommendation Report. Once produced, provided there are no major changes to the fabric of the building or the way in which it is heated or cooled it is valid for 10 years. Failure to provide an EPC when requested can lead to Trading Standards imposing fines of 12.5% of Rateable Value of the property concerned.