Commercial EPC in North West London

What are Level 3, Level 4 and Level 5 buildings?

The level describes how complex the building's services are, and it decides which assessor can certify it. Government guidance for non-dwellings says Level 3 and Level 4 buildings are both assessed using SBEM, the Simplified Building Energy Model. The only distinction between them is the heating, ventilation and air conditioning. Level 3 covers frequently occurring systems: boiler systems under 100kW in total, natural ventilation such as opening windows and basic extract fans, and small comfort cooling up to 12kW in total. A shop with one split air-conditioning unit cooling the sales floor is Level 3.

Level 4 covers anything beyond that, such as linked boilers over 100kW, multi-split or VRF cooling and central air handling. Level 5 buildings are assessed with dynamic simulation modelling, which the guidance says is used where SBEM is not sophisticated enough. Most parade shops, small offices, salons and clinics in this area are Level 3. We confirm the level from what you tell us before booking. If your building needs a higher level than our assessor holds, we say so at that point and point you to the right person.

• Level 3: simple heating, natural ventilation, small comfort cooling
• Level 4: larger or linked boilers, VRF, central air conditioning; new-build non-domestic work
• Level 5: complex buildings modelled with dynamic simulation

What is the minimum EPC rating to let commercial property?

E. Under the non-domestic Minimum Energy Efficiency Standard, landlords have been unable to grant, extend or renew a tenancy of a property rated F or G since 1 April 2018. Since 1 April 2023 the standard has applied to all privately rented non-domestic property, including where the tenancy has not changed.

The standard does not apply to property that is not legally required to have an EPC. It also excludes tenancies of six months or less, with some exceptions, and tenancies of 99 years or more. A landlord who lets in breach can receive a financial penalty.

Will the minimum rise to C or B?

The government has proposed EPC B, but only for larger buildings and not yet in law. Its interim response, updated 18 June 2026, says the intention is that privately rented non-domestic buildings over 1,000 square metres should reach EPC B from 2031, where that is cost effective. The previously proposed interim milestone of EPC C by 2027 will not go ahead. Buildings under 1,000 square metres are intended to stay at the current E minimum.

All of this needs secondary legislation, and a fuller government response is still to come. For a typical parade shop or small office, the rule that matters today is E. For a larger office or industrial building, B from 2031 is a proposal worth planning for, not a legal requirement yet.

How do exemptions and the PRS Exemptions Register work?

An exemption only protects you once it is registered on the PRS Exemptions Register, before you rely on it. GOV.UK lists six exemptions for non-domestic property: the seven-year payback test, all relevant improvements made, wall insulation, third-party consent, property devaluation, and a temporary exemption for someone who has recently become a landlord.

Most last five years. The temporary exemption lasts six months. When an exemption expires, you either improve the property or register a new one if you still qualify. The recommendation report on the EPC is the starting point for the payback case, because it lists the measures and their estimated savings.

Shop with a flat above: which EPC do you need?

If the flat has its own entrance and is designed as a separate dwelling, it needs its own domestic EPC and the shop needs a non-domestic one. That is the usual arrangement on local shopping parades, such as those along Kenton Road and Burnt Oak Broadway. The government guide for non-dwellings says this applies whether the two parts are sold or let together or separately. The answer changes where the upper floor can only be reached through the shop. Then it is not a separate dwelling, and the whole building is assessed as one non-domestic building using SBEM.

In the opposite case, where a shop is a former room of a house and more than half the building is living space, the whole premises gets one domestic EPC. We look at the access and the layout before quoting, so you do not pay for the wrong certificate. The domestic EPC for the flat is a separate assessment, done by a domestic assessor, and we can arrange both on one visit.

• Flat with its own street or rear entrance: domestic EPC for the flat, non-domestic EPC for the shop
• Upper floor reached only through the shop: one non-domestic EPC for the whole building
• Shop in a former front room, mostly a house: one domestic EPC

When must a commercial EPC be displayed?

You must display the EPC where the building has a total useful floor area over 500 square metres, is frequently visited by the public, and an EPC has already been produced for its sale, rental or construction. It goes in a prominent place that members of the public can clearly see, such as the entrance.

Most local shops are well under 500 square metres, so the duty to display rarely applies to them. The duty to give the EPC to a prospective buyer or tenant applies regardless of size. Agents will usually ask for it before a unit is marketed.

Which buildings do not need an EPC?

GOV.UK lists several exemptions. They include places of worship, temporary buildings used for two years or less, stand-alone buildings under 50 square metres, industrial sites, workshops and non-residential agricultural buildings with low energy use, and buildings due to be demolished with the consents in place. Some listed buildings are exempt where compliance would unacceptably alter their character.

A unit with no heating, cooling or ventilation of its own, and no shared conditioning, may not count as a building for EPC purposes. If you think your premises are exempt, tell us. We will check before booking, and we will not sell you an assessment you do not need.

What affects the price?

The floor area, the level of the building and how many activity zones it has. A single-room Level 3 shop is a short survey and a simple model. A two-storey office with a kitchen, a server room, mixed heating and several cooling units takes longer to survey and to zone. Plans help: if you have floor plans, the assessor spends less time measuring. A flat above the shop is a separate domestic EPC, priced on its own.

Certificates and defined jobs are a fixed price confirmed before we attend; repairs are charged by the hour, with the rate and an estimate confirmed before we attend.

Where we assess commercial buildings

We carry out commercial EPCs across Harrow, Kenton, Stanmore and Edgware, and in Wembley, Kingsbury, Queensbury, Pinner, Wealdstone, Burnt Oak, Colindale and the nearby areas. Much of the local commercial stock is 1930s parade shops with flats above, plus offices around Harrow town centre and small industrial units near Wembley and Colindale.

EPC Certificates by area: EPCs in Harrow, EPCs in Kenton, EPCs in Stanmore, EPCs in Edgware, EPCs in Bushey, EPCs in Colindale, EPCs in Hendon, EPCs in Mill Hill, EPCs in Northolt, EPCs in Northwood, EPCs in Pinner, EPCs in Ruislip and EPCs in Wembley.

Not sure which certificates apply? Use our landlord certificate checker.

What we will not do

We do not produce Display Energy Certificates, air conditioning inspection reports or SBEM calculations for new-build Building Regulations compliance. Large or complex buildings that need Level 5 dynamic simulation go to a specialist. We do not carry out the improvement works for larger commercial buildings, such as replacing plant or air conditioning; we will tell you what the report says and refer you on.

Why people trust us

• EPCs by accredited energy assessors, lodged on the national register
• A walk-in office on Kenton Lane, not a serviced address
• We check the national register first and tell you if a valid certificate already exists
• A time slot rather than a morning-or-afternoon window
• Work photographed before and after, and reported
• We tell you when you do not need something we sell

We are building a review profile under this name and would rather show you none than borrow someone else's. Ask us for references from landlords and we will put you in touch.

Official sources

• GOV.UK: Energy Performance Certificates for your business premises
• GOV.UK: Non-domestic private rented property minimum energy efficiency standard, landlord guidance (updated 5 May 2026)
• GOV.UK: MEES in the non-domestic private rented sector, interim response (updated 18 June 2026)
• GOV.UK (DCLG): A guide to energy performance certificates for the construction, sale and let of non-dwellings

Last reviewed October 2026 by EliteShires Property Services.