A valid EPC and Recommendation Report must be made available free of charge by the seller or landlord to a prospective buyer or tenant when non-dwellings are sold or let. This must be at the earliest opportunity and no later than:

  • 28 days after the property has been marketed
  • when any written information about the building is provided in response to a request for information received from the prospective buyer or tenant
  • when a viewing is conducted

Except for specific circumstances, all properties require an Energy Performance Certificate prior to bringing to the market either For Sale or To Let. You can be fined between £500 and £5,000 based on the Rateable Value of the building if you don’t make an EPC available to any prospective buyer or tenant.

You may also be required to display an EPC by fixing it to your commercial building if all these apply:

  • the total useful floor area is over 500 sq.m
  • the building is frequently visited by the public
  • an EPC has already been produced for the building’s sale, rental or construction

Exemptions

You don’t need an EPC if you can demonstrate that the building is any of these:

  • Listed or officially protected and the minimum energy performance requirements would unacceptably alter it.
  • a temporary building only going to be used for 2 years or less
  • used as a place of worship or for other religious activities
  • an industrial site, workshop or non-residential agricultural building that doesn’t use much energy
  • a detached building with a total floor space under 50 sq.m
  • due to be demolished by the seller or landlord and they have all the relevant planning and conservation consents.

Vacant Buildings and Demolition

A building is also exempt if all of the following are true:

  • it’s due to be sold or rented out with vacant possession
  • it’s suitable for demolition and the site could be redeveloped
  • the buyer or tenant has applied for planning permission to demolish it

Associated costs in procuring an EPC are chargeable direct to you and are separate to other costs and fees set out.

We require you to commission or provide an EPC prior to marketing. It is your responsibility to ensure an EPC can be made available to an interested party and we, as agents, have to satisfy ourselves that an Energy Performance Certificate is either available or has been commissioned before we start marketing on behalf of the seller or landlord.