If you own a commercial building then you need to take all the essential steps to improve its value so that it stands out from all the other buildings in the area. Energy efficiency of the building is an essential factor in determining the value of the building.
The energy performance certificate is a document that tells you how efficient the building is. People always prefer a building that has low energy consumption because it helps them in saving money and save the environment. You can get commercial EPC London and make sure that you have the document ready when you need it.
Which Buildings Need EPC’s?
Almost all the commercial buildings need energy performance certificate. There are just a few exceptions like worshipping places or buildings that are used for less than four months a year.
When do you Need an EPC?
- An EPC is required when the building is being sold or leased. It is the responsibility of the landlord to provide the certificate before the building is sold or let. The prospective buyer will need to see the certificate before they make any decision about the buying, renting or letting the building.
- The newly constructed buildings are also required to an EPC.
- The buildings that have been refurbished will also need to get a new EPC because the energy performance of the building is going to change after the changes made.
When is an EPC not Needed?
There are certain occasions that do not require an EPC. The landlords do not need them for:
- Renewal or extension of the lease
- Purchase orders that are compulsory
- Selling shares in a company in which the building stays under the ownership of the company
- Surrendering the lease
- Temporary buildings that are going to be used for less than two years
- Standalone buildings that have less than 50 meters square of useable land
- Workshops, non-residential buildings and industrial sites that have low energy consumption
Displaying the EPC:
The government bodies in the building buildings that have a floor area of 500 square meters or more like hospitals, supermarkets, restaurants, hotels, banks, etc. are required to put their EPC on display. The certificate should be clearly visible to the public so you can display it at reception area or anywhere near the entrance so that it is in the public eye.
How to Request an EPC:
The process for registering an EPC for public and commercial buildings is slightly different from registering for the domestic property.
You need to find an accredited expert yourself because you are not going to receive a provisional one. You also cannot convert it online to make it a definitive one. The expert that you get will inspect the building and rate it on the basis of certain criteria. After the inspection is done the owner of the building will get an EPC and the EPC will be registered by the expert.
The commercial and building buildings should make sure that they have an EPC because they can face penalties from authorities if they fail to produce one. The EPC rating can increase the value of the property significantly.