FAQs: Non-domestic private rented property: minimum energy efficiency standards for commercial property

The UK Government has unveiled plans to reform the Energy Performance of Buildings (EPB) framework in England and Wales, with sweeping changes to the way Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) are structured, used, and valued. Both commercial and residential agents, landlords, and property owners will need to renew their EPCs more often, and some exemptions, for example for heritage properties, may no longer apply.

Under Part 2 of the Landlord and Tenant Act 1954, most business tenants in England and Wales have the right to renew their tenancy when the current lease ends, with limited grounds for landlords to refuse. With 55% of UK commercial property rented, the Law Commission is consulting on whether this system remains effective for today’s commercial lease market.

Propertymark has long campaigned for incentives and realistic funding for landlords, tenants, and homeowners to upgrade their properties so we can see more energy-efficient homes, lower bills, and reduce emissions in the property sector. We are pleased to support National Energy Action’s Fuel Poverty Awareness Day on 27 November 2024, which highlights how the continuing energy crisis is stretching household, leaving many people struggling in cold, unsafe and unhealthy homes.

Propertymark calls for fiscal policy geared towards stimulating supply in the private rented sector, boosting homeownership, and tackling the scourge of empty commercial properties that blight Welsh communities.