Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES)
The Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (or MEES for short) became law on 1st October 2016, however there are several changes on the horizon that will affect many landlords and tenants within the non-domestic private rental sector. Here’s our run down of the key facts, to ensure you are meeting your MEES requirements.
What are the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards?
From 1st April 2018, it will be unlawful for a landlord to grant either a new lease or a lease renewal for a commercial property with an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of F or G.
Why is it changing?
MEES forms a significant part of The Energy Act 2011, which aims to improve the efficiency of the most energy inefficient properties in the UK. MEES also plays a huge part in the government’s target to reduce CO2 emissions for all buildings in the UK to around zero, by the year 2050.
Who will MEES affect?
From 1st April 2018, landlords and owners of commercial properties, will need to ensure the property meets the MEES standards before granting a new lease or renewing an existing lease.
From 1 April 2023, this will be extended to include all privately rented properties.
What are the consequences of non-compliance?
If an EPC is legally required for your property, not having one is not only unlawful, but also subject to huge compliance penalties. These will be linked to the value of the property, so could be as much as £150,000.
Who is exempt from MEES regulations?
Some landlords could be exempt from MEES, but only if they meet certain criteria:
- All cost-effective energy efficiency improvements, have been carried out and the rating is still non-compliant
- Recommendations to the property’s efficiency that have been identified by Green Deal (or a similar government scheme) are not considered cost-effective, devalue the property by more than 5% or fail to increase the EPC rating above an F.
There are many other exceptions that may also be considered, but speaking to an experienced EPC assessor who is proficient in the MEES regulations to see if your property falls into any of these categories, is highly recommended.
Our EPC assessors are highly experienced and carry out hundreds of commercial assessments each year. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us if you require an EPC report carrying out, or if you need further information on the new MEES regulations.
Key dates and facts to be aware of:
1 April 2018 – Landlords and property owners need to ensure the property meets MEES requirements for all new lettings and lease renewals
1 April 2023 – The MEES regulations will now include all landlords and property owners of privately rented properties in the UK
How can Survey Hub help?
When EPCs were first introduced in 2008, we were one of the very first companies to undertake the training and become qualified assessors. Over the past 10 years we have surveyed every type of property imaginable, from shell & core industrial units to grade A offices in central London. We have wealth of experience helping landlords, property owners and investors achieve the best EPC rating possible and this usually starts with a detailed survey of the property by one of our fully qualified assessors – we do not use data collectors like some of our competitors. All our assessors strive to a greater depth of understanding and are knowledgable on many building types, construction techniques and HVAC systems. Research is essential to ensure the best rating is achieved and is an area in which we excel; speaking to HVAC manufactures, conducting thorough building regulation and planning application searches and utilising the many specialist resources at our disposal, both online and in our in-house research database. Finally to produce the most accurate EPC model possible, we use an advanced software package, called Design Builder, to create a 3D model of the property. This software has a massive advantage over other software available and ensures no mistakes are made in the geometry.
It is no surprise that to us that for over 50% of the EPCs we provide for properties that already have a lodged but non-compliance EPC (below an E rating), we have through following the correct processes and our expertise, been able to improve the rating to a compliant level without the need for any additional work or improvements to the property. Saving you time and unnecessary expenditure.
Speak to on of the team today to find out more about how we can help.
