MEES Consultation for London Commercial Landlords
Is your commercial property rated F or G? We'll find the most practical and cost-effective route to compliance — or help you secure an exemption.
- Since 2007
- ~7% UK Market Share
- 4.8/5 Trustpilot(1,700+ Reviews)
- Directly Employed Assessors
What Are the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards?
The Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) regulations make it unlawful for landlords to grant a new tenancy — or in most cases, continue an existing tenancy — for a commercial property with an EPC rating of F or G, unless a valid exemption has been registered.
Since April 2023, the rules apply to all commercial tenancies, not just new leases. The penalties for non-compliance can be significant: up to £150,000 for commercial properties, depending on the rateable value and duration of the breach.
Beyond the regulatory risk, an F or G rating is increasingly a problem in the market. Many banks and financial institutions are now reluctant to lend against or facilitate transactions involving properties with the lowest energy ratings. Tenants, too, are increasingly factoring energy costs and sustainability credentials into their leasing decisions.
How We Help
Tailored Improvement Advice
The recommendation report that comes with a standard commercial EPC gives generic, software-generated suggestions. Our MEES consultation goes much further.
We analyse your specific building in detail and produce tailored advice on the most practical, least disruptive, and most cost-effective measures to improve its rating. We focus on what will actually work for your building, not theoretical improvements that sound good on paper but aren’t feasible in practice.
- A detailed assessment of which measures will have the greatest impact on your building's rating
- Estimated costs for each recommended improvement
- Prioritisation based on cost-effectiveness and disruption
- Guidance on whether a single measure or a combination will be needed to reach the target rating
- Advice on whether the improvements can be carried out while the building remains occupied
Portfolio-Level Strategy
If you manage multiple properties, some of which are at risk of MEES non-compliance, we can help you develop a structured plan across the portfolio. This means prioritising which buildings to tackle first, understanding the total investment required, and phasing the work in a way that aligns with your lease events and capital expenditure planning.
Exemption Guidance
In some cases, an exemption may be available. The MEES regulations include several exemption categories for commercial properties:
Seven-year payback test
Where the cost of improvements cannot be recovered through energy savings within seven years
Wall insulation exemption
Where cavity, internal, or external wall insulation would negatively affect the fabric or structure
Third-party consent
Where a required improvement needs consent from a tenant, planning authority, or other party, and that consent is refused
Devaluation
Where an independent surveyor determines that improvements would reduce the property's market value by more than 5%
New landlord
A temporary six-month exemption for recently acquired properties
Exemptions must be registered on the PRS Exemptions Register and are typically valid for five years. We can advise on whether your property qualifies and help you through the registration process.
Discuss your MEES position with our teamWhy Act Now
Even if your property currently has a sitting tenant and you’re not planning to re-let imminently, there are good reasons to understand your MEES position now:
Planned lease events.
If a lease break or expiry is coming up, you'll need to be compliant before you can re-let.
Transaction readiness.
Buyers and their solicitors will scrutinise the EPC rating. An F or G rating can delay or derail sales.
Future tightening.
There has been ongoing discussion about raising the minimum standard to a C rating for commercial properties. While no firm date has been set, understanding where your property sits now will help you plan ahead.
Cost management.
Improvement works are almost always cheaper and less disruptive when planned in advance rather than rushed to meet a deadline.
The Easy EPC Advantage for MEES
Because commercial EPCs are our core business, our MEES consultation is built on a deep understanding of how the SBEM methodology works. We don’t just tell you to “improve insulation” — we can model exactly how a specific measure will affect your building’s non-domestic EPC rating, and whether it will be enough to move you from an F to an E (or higher).
Our technical team uses DesignBuilder — the market-leading 3D energy modelling software — which gives us a significant advantage for MEES work. DesignBuilder allows us to switch between standard SBEM calculations and Dynamic Simulation Modelling (DSM). In many cases, DSM produces a more accurate and more favourable rating than SBEM alone. For a building sitting on the E/F borderline, this capability can mean the difference between compliance and non-compliance — potentially saving you the cost of physical improvement works entirely.
This is the same technical team that produces our commercial EPCs, so they know both methodologies inside out. That means our advice is grounded in how the calculations actually work, not guesswork.
Find Out Where You Stand
Whether you've got one building or a portfolio, we can assess your MEES position and give you clear, actionable advice.