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Commercial EPCs

Obtain a Commercial EPC for your property

The Energy Performance Certificate or EPC is a legal requirement and needed before a commercial property can be put on the market.

An EPC  summarises the survey of a qualified energy assessor which tells you how energy efficient the property is.

Commercial EPCs with good ratings generally have a positive impact on the market value and perception of the property.

If you’re a letting agent, property owner, or landlord planning to let or sell your commercial building we can help. 

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When do you need a Commercial EPC?

A commercial property cannot be sold or let without an Energy Performance Certificate. Even if you don’t yet have the certificate, a booking confirmation with us is enough to satisfy this requirement. Our average turnaround time is 3.5 days, which is industry leading. 

An EPC is also needed when your property is viewed, when written information is requested, or the moment when contracts are being exchanged. 

There are some exemptions to this rule:

  • Structures that are temporary and will only be used for less than two years
  • Stand alone properties with less than 50 sqm of floor space
  • Places of worship
  • Properties with demolition orders
  • Properties that have low energy demands

What happens during an assessment?

A commercial energy assessor has a Non-Domestic Energy Assessor certification. Our team of level 3, 4, and 5 expert commercial assessors are qualified to evaluate everything from small shops to largest industrial buildings.

Our assessors inspect the lighting, heating, ventilation, insulation, and other parts of a building when conducting their surveys. They also take size, age, type, and materials used into consideration.

After the assessment when the certificate is issued the energy assessor will provide a list of recommendations to improve the property’s energy efficiency.

 A rating between ‘A’ and ‘G’ is given to properties with A being the highest rating. 

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Frequently asked questions

What is it and Why do I need one?

A Non-Domestic Energy Performance Certificate (regularly known as Commercial EPC) rates how energy efficient your building is using the grading system from A to G (‘A’ being the most efficient grade). An EPC will provide an energy rating for the building which is based on the performance potential of the building itself and its services; heating, ventilation and lighting. The EPC comes with a recommendation report, which provides guidance on how the energy performance of the building could be increased.

You are under no legal obligation to act on the recommendations for energy improvements on the building. However, taking action on the recommendations is very much likely to improve the efficiency rating of the building; reduce your fuel bills, cut its carbon emissions and could make the building a more desirable purchase or rental to future buyers or tenants.

An EPC should be provided to a potential buyer or tenant at the earliest opportunity.

In addition to the building rating, the EPC also contains other key pieces of information: – The date the certificate was issued and when it is valid till. – Your Energy Assessor’s details; this will include his name, accreditation number, company name and accreditation scheme (e.g Elmhurst, Qudios, ECMK, Stroma).

  • Places of worship
  • Stand alone buildings with a total useful floor area of less than 50sqm that are not dwellings
  • If your property is a Grade 2 listed building; a UK building or structure that is “of special interest, warranting every effort to preserve it”
  • Temporary buildings with a planned time of use, less than 2 years
  • EPCs are not required on a sale or rent for buildings due to be demolished. The seller or landlord should be able to demonstrate this by:
  • The building is suitable for demolition and the resulting site is suitable for redevelopment

The charge for failing to supply an EPC to any potential buyer or tenant when selling or letting the premise is a fixed rate. You can be fined between £500 and £5,000 based on the rateable value of the building.

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

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

When selling or letting the building as a whole, you will need an EPC for the whole building. If the building has been designed or amended to be used separately with separate heating systems then it is also advised to provide Commercial EPCs for each of the individual buildings, plus an EPC for any communal areas.

Similar to SAP Calculations for new build residential properties, SBEM calculations are for non-domestic buildings and are required at planning stage. The calculations that go into an EPC for a new building should be the same as those for the SBEM calculations. SBEM calculations do not require a site visit, and can be done remotely.

A DEC shows the energy performance of a building based on actual energy consumption as recorded over the last 12 months. A DEC must be accompanied by an advisory report and the owner of the building must have a valid one available.

The purpose of a DEC is to raise public awareness to the energy use and to inform visitors who visit public buildings about the energy usage. DECs provide a rating of the building from A to G and are based on the actual amount of metered energy used by the building.

A DEC must be displayed in a prominent place clearly visible to the public. A DEC and advisory report are required for buildings with a total useful floor area of over 250sqm that are occupied in whole and frequently visited by the public.

When the building has a total useful floor area of more than 1000sqm, the DEC is valid for 12 months. The accompanying advisory report is valid for seven years. When the building has a total floor area of 250sqm-1000sqm, the DEC and advisory report are valid for 10 years.

Why PropCert?

Since 2010, we have been providing you with EPCs, EICRs, CP12s and lots more. We’ll take the stress out of getting certified, keep you compliant and your tenants safe. 

Experience our ‘Excellent’ rated, fast and friendly, hassle-free service today. 

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