EPC Accuracy Matters; Why Energy Performance Quality Should Be a Priority for Commercial Property Owners

Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) have long been a regulatory requirement for commercial buildings in the UK. But as the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) tighten and environmental obligations grow, the quality and accuracy of your commercial EPC can have material consequences on your lease strategy, asset valuation, and investment returns.

This is not just an admin task; EPCs are increasingly tied to dilapidations, lease compliance, tenant fit-outs, and future capital value. Inaccuracies or defaults in an EPC assessment can expose landlords, agents, and occupiers to compliance failure, reputational risk, or expensive retrofit requirements.

Whether you’re a property owner, REIT, investor, or managing agent, ensuring your EPC is based on accurate, professional methodology is now a core component of energy strategy, lease planning, and net zero compliance.

What’s the Problem With Commercial EPC Quality?

The commercial EPC process relies on site-specific data, surveys, and assumptions made by the appointed energy assessor. Yet, many EPCs:

• Are based on outdated templates or generic assumptions
• Default to software ‘worst case’ entries due to lack of documentation and failure to identify plant specifications
• Ignore building alterations, tenant fit-outs, or HVAC upgrades

This leads to artificially poor ratings, and ultimately undermines your asset risk strategy and capital value.

EPC Defaults: when plant data is missing or unclear, this is a major issue. A missing lighting specification, unverified glazing performance, or a mis-recorded HVAC system can downgrade a building’s EPC score by multiple bands. For many F or G-rated properties, this could push them beyond MEES thresholds and into legal breach.

EPC accuracy for commercial buildings is vital across the entire lease lifecycle — supporting compliance, sustainability, and asset value.

EPCs, MEES, and the Lease Lifecycle

A poor or inaccurate EPC rating can influence key stages of a commercial lease, including:

• New lease negotiation: Landlords must prove MEES compliance before granting new leases
• Lease expiry and dilapidations: Tenants and their advisors may challenge liability if the EPC was poor or misleading
• Refurbishment and tenant fit-out: EPC quality affects how you assess improvement potential, life cycle maintenance plans or occupier obligations

Lawyers and surveyors are increasingly linking MEES compliance and EPC obligations to lease terms, particularly at lease expiry. This includes incorporating contractual clauses that address the energy efficiency of buildings and the condition of building services. Maintaining time-stamped evidence of building services performance is becoming essential. Inaccurate or poorly substantiated EPCs can elevate litigation risk and complicate lease exit strategies, particularly where dilapidations claims and MEES-related liabilities intersect.”

EPCs in Acquisition Due Diligence and Disposals

EPCs are increasingly scrutinised during acquisition due diligence, particularly in structured investment or refinancing processes. A poor-quality or inaccurate EPC can mask significant retrofit liabilities or misrepresent the feasibility of future upgrades. Buyers and lenders are applying greater scrutiny to assessor methodology and rating assumptions; especially where MEES exemptions are relied upon.

Assets with sub-EPC C ratings face increased risk of valuation discounts, reduced buyer interest, or delays in disposal. Well-documented, accurate EPCs signal lower compliance risk and stronger occupier demand potential. Conversely, EPC defaults or unexplained ratings may prompt further technical surveys, potentially delaying transactions and weakening the vendor’s negotiating position.

EPC accuracy for commercial buildings reduces investment risk, ensures MEES compliance, and protects long-term property value.

Investment Risk and MEES in 2025 and Beyond

For institutional investors, asset managers, and lenders, an EPC is no longer a formality; it’s a measurable risk.

• MEES compliance directly affects lettability and future yield
• EPC rating influences loan terms, refinancing, and insurance
• Asset value may be adjusted downward due to known EPC issues

With 2030 on the horizon, and a possible EPC B target in policy; failing to address poor EPC methodology now could expose your portfolio to value erosion, reduced liquidity, and regulatory penalties.

MEES and investment strategies must now align. EPC data informs acquisition DD, ESG scoring, and net zero transition plans. Poor EPC quality is an avoidable red flag.

Energy Assessor Accuracy – It Starts with the Survey

The greatest variable in any EPC is the energy assessor. A poorly qualified, rushed, or remote survey can undermine the rating of an otherwise efficient building. That’s why Inteb prioritises:

• Highly qualified assessors with deep commercial engineering and property expertise
• On-site surveys; not desktop assessments
• Comprehensive evidence gathering (e.g. floor plans, lighting levels, HVAC specifications)
• Cross-checking against historical EPC data, tenant fit-outs, and service records

Our commercial EPC methodology is built around accuracy, transparency, and auditability. We help clients eliminate assumptions and software defaults, achieving robust and realistic ratings that withstand legal, technical, and financial scrutiny.

Avoiding errors is essential to maintain EPC accuracy for commercial buildings and protect asset value, compliance, and Net Zero pathways.

Common EPC Assessor Errors That Impact Ratings

1. Use of Default Values Instead of Verified Data

• Impact: Software assumes worst-case performance (e.g., default lighting, HVAC efficiency, insulation).
• Example: Failing to confirm U-values of walls/roofs means the software defaults to low thermal performance.

2. Desktop Assessments Without Comprehensive Site Visits

• Impact: Key systems or upgrades are missed entirely.
• Example: New HVAC systems or LED retrofits may not be recorded if they’re not visible in existing records.

3. Incorrect Zoning or Building Geometry

• Impact: Misrepresented areas can inflate heating/cooling loads.
• Example: Not separating conditioned and unconditioned spaces, or overestimating floor area.

4. Misidentification of HVAC Systems

• Impact: Wrong system type or control strategy selected in software.
• Example: Assuming basic split systems when VRF with zoning and controls is installed.

5. Inaccurate or Missing Lighting Data

• Impact: Defaults applied for lamp type, efficiency, or controls.
• Example: Omitting lux levels or presence/absence sensors affects lighting energy use calculation.

6. Outdated or Incomplete Building Fabric Information

• Impact: U-values defaulted; recent upgrades missed.
• Example: Insulated walls or glazing improvements excluded due to lack of documentation.

7. Failure to Account for Tenant Fit-Outs

• Impact: Services or changes introduced by tenants may be missed.
• Example: Additional HVAC units, partitioning, or lighting alterations not reflected in the model.

8. Lack of Supporting Evidence for Inputs

• Impact: Inputs may be challenged, leading to legal or transactional risk.
• Example: No photos, specs, or manufacturer data to support efficient system claims.

9. Inappropriate Assessor Level

• Impact: Using a Level 3 assessor for Level 4 buildings (with mechanical ventilation or cooling systems) or using Level 4 for complex Level 5 (atria) buildings.
• Example: Rating may be invalidated or legally non-compliant.

10. Misuse of MEES Exemption Assumptions

• Impact: Overstating exemption potential or incorrectly flagging exemptions.
• Example: Misapplying the “7-year payback” rule or failing to follow the proper exemption registration process.

How Inteb Minimises These Errors

• In-house, qualified, experienced Level 4 & 5 assessors
• Site-based surveys, not desktop assessments
• Full documentation and audit trail
• Internal cross-checks and 9001 QA processes
• Integration with compliance, retrofit, and investment strategies

1. Lease Renewal Blocked by Inaccurate EPC

A landlord assumed their C-rated office was MEES-compliant. However, a new EPC, based on defaults and a desktop review, returned an E rating, preventing lease renewal under MEES regulations. Inteb conducted a detailed on-site survey that properly recorded existing efficiency features; restoring the EPC to C and enabling the lease to proceed without delay or retrofit costs.

2. Portfolio-Wide EPC B Strategy for a REIT

A major REIT client set a target for all assets to achieve EPC B by 2030. Inteb resurveyed key properties using verified, site-specific data, which in many cases improved ratings without physical upgrades. We also identified which buildings truly required investment, allowing the client to prioritise capex efficiently, avoid unnecessary spend, and stay aligned with their ESG and net zero goals.

3. Dilapidations Dispute Resolved Through EPC Accuracy

In a lease-end dilapidations dispute, a tenant challenged their liability, referencing an EPC that failed to account for recent LED lighting upgrades. Inteb carried out a new, fully evidenced EPC survey that correctly captured the lighting system in place. The revised EPC strengthened the landlord’s legal position and helped resolve the dispute in their favour.

Summary: Accuracy = Actionable Outcomes

These real-world examples show that EPC quality is not just a compliance checkbox; it has direct legal, financial, and operational consequences. Accurate EPCs protect asset value, support lease events, and inform smart investment decisions.

How to Improve Your EPC Rating; Strategically

Inteb goes beyond compliance; we provide full building energy assessments to identify:

• Missed or misrecorded features affecting the EPC
• Viable fabric or system upgrades
• ROI modelling for improvement options
• Guidance on tenant fit-out EPC alignment

We prioritise pragmatic improvement, not gold-plating. Sometimes minor documentation or specification corrections can unlock a B or C rating.

EPC Accuracy and Net Zero Compliance

An accurate EPC is step one in a long-term energy strategy. It sets the baseline for:

• Operational energy benchmarking
• SECR and ESG reporting
• Net zero transition planning
• Future-proofed asset value and funding

With regulatory and investor expectations tightening toward 2027 and beyond, organisations may face mandatory disclosures that rely on accurate EPC data. As net zero frameworks evolve, EPCs will form part of broader building performance benchmarking; not just a one-time requirement. Inteb’s methodology helps ensure your EPC is future-proofed against evolving investor standards and policy pressures.

Don’t treat your EPC as a tick-box; treat it as a strategic data asset.

Got questions about EPC accuracy for commercial buildings? CeeJay is here to guide landlords, estate managers, and investors with expert insights.

Inteb – Commercial EPC Accuracy Specialists

We’ve delivered hundreds of EPC reviews, upgrades, and improvement strategies for:

• Commercial landlords and portfolio owners
• Managing agents and REITs
• Public sector estates and FM teams

With deep expertise in MEES compliance, commercial EPC upgrades, and lease-based energy obligations, Inteb helps clients reduce asset risk, protect capital value, and enable better investment outcomes.

Talk to Inteb About EPC Quality Before It Costs You

EPC accuracy is too important to overlook. Before your next lease event, transaction, or capital works programme; get clarity on your building’s energy profile.

Request an EPC Accuracy Review Today