How the new rules affect you

Commercial EPCs

After 1st October 2008, commercial property owners and landlords will not be able to complete any property transactions without having an EPC. The certificate must be available for viewing by a prospective buyer or tenant.

It is the responsibility of the property developer, owner, or landlord to obtain an EPC, and to do this you will need the services of an accredited EPC assessor.

The assessor will study floor plans (or prepare them for you if these are not available), survey the property, prepare the data for processing through a computerised energy model, prepare recommendation reports and register the resulting certificate with the government’s online database.

The assessor’s survey could take into account any of the following:

• The thermal characteristics of the building
• Heating, ventilation and air conditioning
• Built-in lighting installations
• The position and orientation of the building

Failure to provide an EPC can result in a fine of 12.5% of the rateable value of the building up to a maximum of £5,000, which will be enforced by local Trading Standards departments.

An EPC is valid for ten years, or until a new EPC is prepared.

Display Energy Certificates

Only public buildings will be affected by this legislation initially. However the Government has produced a flowchart to assist property asset managers in deciding if their buildings will be affected by the introduction of DECs.

If you consider that the premises you own or lease will require a DEC, you should start collecting energy consumption data now. To do this you must obtain actual meter readings and/or consignment notes for all the fuels used in your buildings that may be affected by the new legislation.

This may include gas fuels, oil fuels, solid fuels, district heating and cooling, grid electricity and electricity generated on site or obtained by private distribution systems from other sites. It is your responsibility to record the energy usage of your property.

Failure to display a DEC could result in a fine of £500.

For full information on the EPBD regulations, please download our brochure.