# Commercial EPC and MEES compliance > What applies to commercial property in England and Wales today, what is expected next, and the moments the obligation actually surfaces. Source: https://commercialepcupgrades.co.uk/compliance --- # Commercial EPC and MEES compliance The obligation attaches to letting rather than to owning, which is why it surfaces at a lease event, a renewal or a sale rather than arriving as a letter. The current minimum is EPC band E, and the expected direction is EPC B from 2031. Before a letting A vacant unit The cheapest version of the work, and the point a poor rating stops being theoretical. At the lease event A renewal Granting a new lease is both the trigger and the cheapest opportunity to discharge it. On the way out A sale Nobody enforces anything. The buyer prices the remedial cost in, usually generously. When you cannot An exemption Registered, evidenced and time-limited. An unregistered exemption is not an exemption. Sources - Under the MEES Regulations the minimum for non-domestic private rented property in England and Wales is EPC band E. [The Non-Domestic Private Rented Property Minimum Standard: guidance for landlords and enforcement authorities, under the Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property) (England and Wales) Regulations 2015, 2017](https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-non-domestic-private-rented-property-minimum-standard-landlord-guidance) - The government has proposed that privately rented non-domestic buildings over 1,000 square metres in England and Wales reach EPC B from 2031, where cost effective. It is not yet law. [Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) in the non-domestic Private Rented Sector: interim response, DESNZ, 2026](https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/non-domestic-private-rented-sector-minimum-energy-efficiency-standards-epc-b-implementation/outcome/minimum-energy-efficiency-standards-mees-in-the-non-domestic-private-rented-sector-interim-response) General guidance, not legal advice Energy performance rules for commercial property in England and Wales have changed repeatedly, and proposals have moved during consultation. This page describes the position as we understand it and is written to be useful rather than definitive. Check the current position and your own obligations with a solicitor or a qualified assessor before committing to capital spend. ## The rules, and the moments they bite Eight pages covering what applies, when it applies, and what to do about it. The line under each is what that page covers and no other does. 8 entries Next step ## Find out where your buildings actually sit Before planning against a deadline it helps to know the gap. Tell us the building and one commercial contractor comes back with what it would take to close it. Or call [07367 293494](tel:+447367293494). Monday to Friday, 9am to 5.30pm.