Commercial Property EPC Regulations in Wigan: MEES and Leasing Guide 2025

Commercial landlords in Wigan must comply with strict Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) regulations when leasing their properties. These regulations, including the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES), are becoming increasingly important as energy efficiency standards tighten. This guide explains your legal obligations and how to make sure your commercial property in Wigan meets the required Commercial EPC standards.

Understanding Commercial EPC Leasing Requirements

When leasing a commercial property, you must have a valid Commercial EPC in Wigan. It should be made available to potential tenants. This certificate rates your property's energy efficiency from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient) and is valid for 10 years. The EPC must be commissioned before marketing your property and shown to prospective tenants.

Key requirements for commercial property letting in Wigan include:

• Providing an EPC before marketing the property
• Making the EPC available to prospective tenants
• Displaying the EPC in properties that the public visit over 500m²
• Ensuring the EPC meets minimum efficiency standards

Failure to provide an EPC when required can result in fines of up to £5,000, based on the rateable value of the property.

Understanding MEES Regulations

The Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) make it unlawful to let commercial properties with an EPC rating below E. This regulation applies to new leases and renewals, with few exceptions. Properties falling below this standard cannot be legally let without making improvements or registering a valid exemption.

We've got a guide to help Wigan businesses improve their Commercial EPC Score.

For Wigan commercial property owners, key MEES dates include:

• Current requirement: Minimum E rating for new leases and renewals
• Existing leases: All commercial rented properties must meet minimum E rating
• Future changes: Government proposals to raise minimum standard to C rating by 2028 and B rating in the early 2030s

The proposed changes to bring the MEES to a Band C by 2028 are not to be ignored. Commercial landlords in Wigan will need to make sure their portfolio complies or they will not be able to legally lease their properties and could face fines of up to £150,000 for the most serious breaches.

Impact on Wigan's Commercial Property Market

Wigan's diverse commercial property market faces broad challenges in meeting the future MEES requirements. Victorian buildings around Market Place often struggle with solid wall construction and outdated heating systems, while modern units at Martland Park typically achieve better ratings.

Common challenges in different areas include:

• Town Centre (WN1): Historic buildings with poor insulation
• Industrial Estates (WN5): High bay lighting and heating inefficiencies
• Office Spaces: Outdated HVAC systems
• Warehouse Units: Large spaces with significant heat loss

How Your Business In Wigan Can Comply With MEES

Step one is to get an up-to-date Commercial EPC for your property in Wigan. This will benchmark it against the current version of the ever changing EPC calculations. If you need to improve the EPC score of your commercial property in Wigan, you can consult both the recommendations report and your Commercial EPC Assessor. This will help you to prioritise budget against improvements that will have the largest positive impact on your score.

General advice is to proceed with a fabric first approach when making upgrades. Some common upgrades that building owners can do are:

• Improve insulation where possible
• Upgrade to LED lighting systems
• Install modern heating controls
• Consider renewable energy options
• Implement energy management systems

Wigan Council through the Greater Manchester Combined Authority have grants available to help businesses decarbonise. The Low Carbon Fund aims to do this by installing renewable and low carbon technology across the region.

Practical Steps for Wigan Landlords

1. Get Your EPC Assessment Contact an accredited Commercial EPC assessor in Wigan to evaluate your property. The assessment typically takes 1-2 hours, depending on property size.
2. Review Your Options Your EPC assessor will provide recommendations for improvements. Common cost-effective measures for Wigan properties include:

• LED lighting upgrades
• Heating system improvements
• Additional insulation
• Draft-proofing

3. Plan Improvements Develop an improvement plan based on:

• Your current Commercial EPC Rating
• How much you need to increase your score by
• The budget you have available
• How much time you have available
• Sitting tenant considerations.

Your Non-Domestic Energy Assessor will be able to to tell you the improvement to your score that each upgrade will make.

Ready to make sure your commercial property complies with current or even future regulations? Contact our team of accredited assessors for a Commercial EPC in Wigan. We understand local property challenges and can help you satisfy the requirements. Call 01925 699 321

Request A Call Back