News Roundup 15-07-2025
đź“° 1. UK Government to raise commercial MEES to EPC B by 2035
A CBRE UK insight (24 June) highlights that the government is leaning toward raising the commercial Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard (MEES) from EPC E to EPC B, with a target phasing in between 2030 and 2035. This aligns with the Seventh Carbon Budget that calls for an 87% reduction in real estate emissions by 2040. There’s also talk of possible exemptions for cost‑effectiveness, though compliance risk—particularly for landlords with older properties—is growing. easyepc.org+3Pinsent Masons+3CLA+3CBRE+1vitaldirect.co.uk+1
2. New timeline for commercial MEES uplift
Legal specialists at Nash (reporting ~3 weeks ago) confirm that under proposed timing, from 1 April 2027, MEES standards will uplift to EPC C for commercial buildings, with a final shift to EPC B by 1 April 2030. Landlords are urged to begin planning retrofits now, as the government’s formal response to the commercial MEES consultation is expected by June 2025. nash.co.uk
3. Domestic PRS consultation closes – moves toward EPC C by 2030
The DESNZ closed its consultation on raising the minimum EPC from E to C for domestic private rentals in early May. The policy proposes mandates for new tenancies by 2028 and all tenancies by 2030. Coupled with a shift to new EPC metrics—including fabric performance, smart readiness, and heating efficiency—this signals significant regulatory tightening. Stephens Scown+1CLA+1
4. EPC regime reform consultation includes validity period
A legal update from Stephens‑Scown focuses on broader EPC regime reforms: the government is proposing to shorten EPC validity (from 10 years to possibly 5), extend EPC requirements to holiday lets and licensed tenancies, and phase in the new metrics. The consultation also proposes raising cost caps significantly—to £15,000 (with an affordability exemption)—for residential landlords targeting EPC C. gov.uk+15Stephens Scown+15Energy Digest+15
5. Response from government on commercial MEES still pending
While private-sector deadlines (e.g., Nash, CBRE) are moving forward, the UK Government has not yet published an official response to the 2021 commercial MEES consultation. According to Vital Direct, an answer was promised for June 2025 but hasn't appeared yet (as of end‑May) vitaldirect.co.uk.
🔍 Key takeaways
Commercial buildings: MEES likely to uplift to EPC C from 2027 and EPC B by 2030–35, with formal regulations expected this summer.
Domestic private rentals: New EPC C standard phased in by 2028 (new tenancies) and 2030 (all tenancies), alongside revised EPC metrics and higher upgrade cost caps (~ÂŁ15k).
Landlord action point: Now’s the time to assess current EPCs, model retrofit costs, and monitor upcoming official regulation announcements.