Commercial EPC
Commercial EPC assessments for non-domestic property
Accredited commercial EPCs for sales, lettings and new builds, lodged within 48 hours of the survey, with honest MEES advice if the rating is low.
- 48-hour turnaround
- Elmhurst-accredited
- Fixed price quote
Get a fixed price quote
Three quick steps — about 40 seconds.
Fixed price by 9:30am on Monday
- Elmhurst-accredited assessors
- Lodged within 48-hours of the survey
- Fixed price agreed up front
- Midlands to London
A deal stalls the moment someone asks for the EPC
Every commercial sale and letting reaches the point where a solicitor, agent or incoming tenant asks for the certificate. If there isn’t one, or it expired three years ago, the transaction waits.
A low rating is worse, because it is not just paperwork. If the building rates F or G you cannot lawfully let it, and that turns a straightforward letting into a compliance project with a budget attached.
We deal with both. Elmhurst-accredited assessors, the survey and lodgement handled end to end, and a clear explanation of what your rating means for letting the building.
What is a commercial EPC?
A commercial EPC is the official measure of a non-domestic building’s energy performance, rated A to G and lodged on the government register. It is produced from a survey of the building’s fabric, heating, cooling, ventilation, lighting and hot water, modelled in approved assessment software.
It is an asset rating. It describes how the building is built and serviced, not how the current occupier happens to use it, which is why a busy office and an empty one of identical construction score the same. The certificate also carries a recommendation report listing measures that could improve the score.
A commercial EPC is valid for ten years, unless the building is substantially altered in a way that changes its energy performance.
When is a commercial EPC legally required?
You need a valid commercial EPC at the point a non-domestic building over 50m² is marketed for sale or let, newly constructed, or significantly altered. The specific triggers are:
- Sale. The EPC must be available to prospective buyers from the moment marketing begins, not produced at exchange.
- Letting or lease renewal. Landlords must provide a valid EPC to a prospective tenant before the letting completes.
- New build. A newly constructed commercial building needs an EPC before it is sold or occupied.
- Major alteration or extension. Significant changes to the fabric, layout or building services can require a fresh assessment so the certificate reflects the building as it now stands.
- Change of use or sub-division. Splitting a unit, or converting one use class to another, usually means the existing certificate no longer describes the demise being let.
There are limited exclusions, for example some places of worship, temporary buildings in use for under two years, and standalone buildings under 50m². They are narrower than people assume, so check before relying on one.
Who needs a commercial EPC?
- Commercial landlords — before letting or renewing a lease, and to demonstrate MEES compliance.
- Business owners and occupiers — when buying, selling or vacating premises.
- Property developers — certification for new units before sale or occupation, often several at once.
- Commercial and estate agents — a valid EPC must be in place before particulars go live.
- Property and facilities managers — certification across single sites and multi-site portfolios.
- Investors and asset managers — energy performance at acquisition, during hold and at disposal.
MEES: what your rating means for letting
Under the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards, you cannot let a qualifying non-domestic property that rates F or G. The current minimum is E, and the rule applies to new lettings, renewals and continuing tenancies unless a valid exemption is registered on the PRS Exemptions Register.
Enforcement sits with local authority Trading Standards, and the two penalty regimes are commonly confused:
| Breach | Penalty |
|---|---|
| Failing to make an EPC available when required | £500 to £5,000 |
| Letting a sub-standard property in breach of MEES | up to £150,000 per property |
The £500–£5,000 band is for not producing a certificate. Letting a building that rates F or G is a different offence with penalties reaching £150,000, plus publication on the exemptions register.
The standard is expected to tighten. Government has consulted on raising the non-domestic minimum in stages, but following the partial response in March 2026 no future dates are confirmed. Treat anyone quoting you a specific deadline with caution. The sensible planning assumption is that the bar rises during the 2030s, so a building sitting at E today is worth looking at now, while works can be timed around lease events rather than forced through at short notice.
Read more on MEES compliance.
What happens if your rating is low
A low rating does not stop you using or selling the building, but below E it blocks letting. The route back is usually shorter than owners expect, because the biggest gains tend to come from services rather than fabric.
In practice we look at:
- Lighting. Replacing fluorescent and halogen with LED, plus presence and daylight controls, is often the single most cost-effective improvement available.
- Heating and cooling plant. Ageing boilers, direct electric heating and inefficient air conditioning hit the score hard.
- Controls. Zoning, time control and optimum start can move the rating without major capital works.
- Hot water and insulation. Point-of-use water heating, pipework insulation and roof insulation where it is accessible.
- Evidence. Sometimes the rating is low because the previous assessment assumed the worst. Documented U-values, plant data plates and commissioning records can legitimately lift the score with no works at all.
We set out the measures in order of return, tell you what each is likely to involve, and reassess once the work is done. If a genuine exemption applies, we will say so rather than sell you a project. See improving your EPC rating.
How we assess
Evidence-led, on site, with everything measured. A cheap assessment makes assumptions wherever information is missing, and the software defaults to the worst credible case every time, which is exactly how buildings end up one band lower than they should be.
Our assessor surveys the building in person, records construction, zoning, glazing, plant and lighting, and gathers the evidence that supports a better input: plant data plates, commissioning certificates, building control records, product specifications and as-built drawings where they exist. Anything you can give us before the visit improves the result.
Every commercial EPC includes a free measured floor plan, which is useful for marketing particulars, service charge apportionment and your own records.
Property types we assess
- Offices, from single suites to multi-let corporate buildings
- Retail units, from independent shops to large-format stores
- Warehouses, distribution centres and trade counters
- Industrial buildings, factories and workshops
- Healthcare facilities, clinics and surgeries
- Schools, colleges and training centres
- Hotels, restaurants, pubs and leisure venues
- Mixed-use developments and sub-divided demises
Unusual building, part-complete fit-out or a complicated demise? Those are the ones worth a conversation before you book.
What’s included
- An A–G asset rating lodged on the government EPC register
- The full recommendation report with the measures that apply to your building
- A free measured floor plan
- A plain-English explanation of what the rating means for letting
- MEES guidance where the rating is below standard
- One named point of contact from enquiry to certificate
How it works
- 1
Tell us about the property
Call or send the quote form. We confirm the type, size and access, then give you a fixed price and the earliest survey date.
- 2
We book it in
One point of contact arranges access directly with the owner, tenant or keyholder. No chasing from your end.
- 3
An accredited assessor surveys
We measure the building and gather the evidence needed for an accurate rating, rather than relying on worst-case defaults.
- 4
Lodged and explained
Your certificate goes on the national register and lands in your inbox, typically within 48-hours of the visit, with plain-English advice on the rating.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a commercial EPC take?
The survey itself depends on size and complexity: a small retail unit can take under an hour, while a large multi-let office or industrial site can take most of a day because every zone has to be measured and recorded. Once the survey is complete, your certificate is lodged within 48 hours. End to end, including booking, most jobs take two to three working days.
How long is a commercial EPC valid?
Ten years from lodgement. It does not expire early simply because the building is sold or re-let, but significant alterations to the fabric or building services can mean the certificate no longer reflects the property and a new assessment is needed.
How much does a commercial EPC cost?
We quote each building individually, because floor area, number of zones, building services complexity, access and travel all affect the time required. The quote is fixed: what we quote is what you pay. Portfolios are priced as a package. See what drives an EPC price.
What is the minimum EPC rating to let a commercial property?
E. Letting a non-domestic property rated F or G is a breach of MEES unless a valid exemption is registered, with penalties reaching £150,000 per property. The separate penalty for failing to provide an EPC at all is £500 to £5,000.
Will the non-domestic minimum rise to C or B?
Both were consulted on, but as of the March 2026 partial response no dates have been confirmed. Industry expectation is that B arrives somewhere between 2030 and 2035. We will not quote you a deadline that does not exist, but if you hold commercial property for the long term, plan on the standard rising.
Is a commercial EPC different from a domestic EPC?
Yes, they use entirely different assessment methodologies and software. Non-domestic assessment models the building’s services and construction in detail; domestic assessment uses a standardised method for dwellings. It is the building’s use that decides, not its ownership, so a landlord’s shop with a flat above typically needs one of each. See domestic EPC.
Do I need an EPC for every unit in a multi-let building?
Usually yes, one per lettable demise, because each unit is marketed and let separately. Common parts are dealt with as part of the individual unit assessments. We survey whole buildings in a single visit and lodge the certificates together, which is quicker and cheaper than booking them one at a time.
Does my public building need an EPC or a DEC?
Possibly both. An EPC is triggered by sale, letting, new build or major alteration, while a Display Energy Certificate is required for public buildings over 250m² that the public frequently visits, and is based on actual metered consumption. A council office being sold would need both.
Where we work
Bedfordshire
Buckinghamshire
Cambridgeshire
East and West Midlands
Greater London
Northamptonshire
Staffordshire
West Midlands
Ready when you are
Call, email or send the quote form. One point of contact from enquiry to certificate.
info@r2g.co.uk · Mon–Fri 8:30am–5:30pm