Energy Performance Certificates for business properties

If you are selling business premises, you must supply one or more free Energy Performance Certificates (EPC) - with their relevant recommendation reports - to prospective buyers.

You should provide the EPC either as soon as either:

• you provide a potential buyer with other detailed written information
• a potential buyer attends a viewing
• an offer is made to buy the property

You are required to commission an EPC prior to marketing a business property for sale or rent. An EPC should be secured 'using reasonable effort' within seven days of marketing a property for sale or rent. You will also be required to attach the front page of the EPC to any written particulars produced when selling or renting out a business property.

The number of EPCs required will depend on:

• the complexity of the building itself
• whether all or part of the building is being offered for sale
• whether office blocks and mixed use buildings have a common heating system
• whether shops with dwellings above have separate access and no common parts or shared common access

If you are selling a building and believe that the buyer intends to demolish and redevelop the site, you don't need to provide an EPC. This can usually be shown by having the relevant planning permission or evidence that planning permission has been applied for.