Energy performance certificates were initially designed more for domestic properties rather than commercial, but they were later made mandatory for commercial properties with a floor space over 50m2. When it comes to getting your commercial energy performance certificate survey carried out, it’s best to not put it off, especially considering the hefty fines levelled at businesses that fail to meet the requirements. Plus, having a great EPC grading can be a real boon for any commercial property making it easier to let or sell.
However, you do need to find the right firm to carry out your EPC survey. Experts at EPC For You have a few pointers.
Why A Commercial EPC is Necessary
Energy performance certificates were introduced as part of an environmentally focussed EU initiative. Implemented on August 1st 2007, Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) became mandatory for all homes, and commercial properties over 50m2. Essentially, an EPC is a thorough assessment of a properties energy efficiency, including CO2 emissions. It takes into account aspects like the buildings construction and heating system, as well as features like wall cavity insulation, loft insulation and low energy lighting.
The assessment is non-invasive, meaning there’s no drilling or anything like that, and it’s a relatively quick procedure, providing the property owner with a grading for the building, ranging from the best (‘A’) to the worst (‘G’). The buildings with better grades are obviously more appealing to sell or let, as they’re cheaper to power, with less CO2 emissions, which is appealing to a potential commercial buyer or tenant. Lower energy wastage, and lower CO2 emissions are not only cheaper, but also more environmentally friendly, which can look good for any business or company.
Repercussions of Failing to Get a Commercial EPC
When it comes to failing to secure an in-date EPC, there are some fairly hefty fines issued by the government to offending businesses, often into the thousands of pounds. This could obviously be crippling for smaller, less established businesses. So when it comes to the relatively cheap cost of getting an energy performance survey carried out on your commercial property, there’s no reason not to, and plenty of reason to get it done.
Importance of Accuracy
The accuracy and value of EPC ratings and grades has been recently called into question. As such it’s important to get a firm to carry out your survey that really knows what they’re doing. Look at reviews of the company online, as well as checking out their accreditations. You need to know this business knows exactly what they’re doing, especially with the value of your property on the line.
The value of your energy performance certification sits on the line with their skill, and if they give you a lower or higher grading than you actually score, it can be an issue in the future. As a non-invasive investigation, it can sometimes be hard to get truly accurate results, but with full records of the building, extensive study and looking at energy data, you can trust the right company to get the correct results for your commercial property.
How Much Should it Cost?
As stated earlier, accuracy is important. But so is saving money, right? You don’t want to be paying over the odds, but you need to be making sure that your business is getting the best deal possible. Going for the cheapest, shabbiest survey company is never going to be the best idea, but neither is going for the company that charges more than anyone else, as that doesn’t necessarily guarantee quality. The best way is always going to be finding the right company by word of mouth, and getting recommendations from other commercial property owners. Remember, an EPC survey is something you only need to get done once every ten years, so do it right.
Reviews, Recommendations and Comparison
You’ve purchased other services, right? Well, you need to do your research. With the internet nowadays, finding unbiased information about any given company or service has never been easier. You can find an array of useful companies with one quick search, and with another see who has any black marks against them. Making sure the company you end up using can be relied upon and trusted is important. On top of this, make sure you contact multiple companies and get a whole range of quotes and prices to compare. This might not be such an issue if you’re a smaller commercial property, but as a larger one, price can be a valuable tipping factor.
Leave a Reply