The government has launched a new consultation on EPCs for domestic and non-domestic premises as part of its goal to enhance building standards and reach net-zero emissions by 2050. This reinforces the governments commitment to environmental sustainability and recognises concerns about energy-inefficient buildings.
Unfortunately, what it doesn’t cover are any changes to EPC ratings for the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES). MEES currently require a minimum rating of ‘E’ for private lettings of both commercial and residential property.
The previous government proposed an ambitious increase in the minimum rating for rented commercial property from rating ‘E’ to ‘B’ by 2030. However, the result of the 2021 consultation, which asked important questions about how to implement this increase, is still outstanding.
The current government is yet to announce its plans on whether this change will be brought into effect. Presumably, timings will have to be scaled back for the proposals to require B ratings for leased commercial property, as the first compliance window suggested in the 2021 consultation was due to kick off on 1 April 2025.
Points of interest in the current consultation:
- widening the calculation metrics for EPCs to add energy use, fabric performance, heating system and smart technology to the current carbon only metric
- reducing the validity period for EPCs from 10 years to anything from two to seven years
- requiring an EPC at point of marketing let premises, removing the 28 day grace period
- requiring a valid EPC for the whole term
- requiring renewal of EPC on its expiry removing current uncertainty over EPC requirements for lease renewals
- requiring all ‘heritage buildings’ to have EPCs ending uncertainty over listed buildings
- improving quality of EPC assessors by overhauling training and introducing CPD requirements
- general initiatives to improve compliance and an increase in penalties.
Views are welcomed with responses requested by 26 February 2025.
