Welcome to this week’s post on MEES Regulation, its changes and requirements.
Time is running out – are you aware of the new MEES regulation requirements from April 2023?
If you are a commercial (or domestic) landlord, you need to be aware of the changes to the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards regulations (MEES) from April 2023.
From April 2023, it will be unlawful to continue to let a commercial property in the UK with an F or G EPC rating. This is even if the lease was granted prior to the MEES Regulations coming into force in 2018, unless a valid exemption is applicable. The goal Is to achieve “C” EPC rating by 2027, and then a “B” by 2030.
The MEES (Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards) regulations were introduced by the UK Government in 2018 aiming to improve the quality of privately rented domestic and commercial properties and to increase their energy efficiency.
The MEES Regulations do not require a landlord to carry out works by law. However, where a landlord ‘continues’ to let a sub-standard property, it will breach MEES. Local Weights and Measures Authorities (part of Trading Standards) can impose financial penalties ranging from £5,000 to £150,000, based on a property’s rateable value.
EPCs or Energy Performance Certificates ratings are playing a significant role in decarbonisation the UK estate and in helping to reach the UK’s goal of Net Zero by 2050. EPC ratings, classified between A to G consider a building’s “asset” rating which mainly consists of the efficiency of the building fabric, its ventilation, heating, cooling and lighting systems.
However, it is not all ‘bad news;’ complying to MEES also benefits landlords, as improvements in energy efficiency should lead to lower utility bills and an increase in capital value.
The report for the EPC rating lists suggestions on how the existing rating could be improved ranging from low-cost measures such as switching to LED lighting, draught-proofing, or optimisation of heating controls, to higher cost measures with a longer payback such as upgrading boilers, improvement of glazing or installation of heat pumps, to name a few. This gives the landlord an understanding of where energy loss can occur and a few options to choose from to improve the energy efficiency of their property and importantly make your contribution to reaching net zero by 2050.
#MEES #carbonbit #Energyefficiency #UKGovernment #Netzero