Guide · Rented commercial buildings in England and Wales
MEES 2031: EPC B and Commercial Solar
The government has said larger rented commercial buildings will need an EPC B from 2031. Here is what it covers, what it does not, and where solar fits.
Nothing to pay up front, not even a deposit. Fixed for 15 years.
The position, first
What is the MEES 2031 rule for rented commercial buildings?
MEES stands for minimum energy efficiency standards. They set the lowest EPC rating a rented building may have. An EPC (energy performance certificate) grades a building from A, the best, to G. In June 2026 the government published an interim response on MEES 2031. It confirms an EPC B from 2031 for privately rented non-domestic buildings over 1,000 m², where that is cost-effective.
Smaller rented buildings stay on the current minimum of EPC E. The seven-year payback test and the exemptions remain. It is not law yet, because it needs secondary legislation (detailed rules that ministers make and Parliament passes). Solar is one of the most direct ways to lift a rating, and a PPA does it at no capital cost.
Where the rules stand
What applies today, and what the government has confirmed for 2031
You may have read about an earlier plan with a 2030 date and a middle step. The June 2026 response replaces it with one step, a year later.
| Building | Minimum rating | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Privately rented non-domestic buildings today | EPC E minimum. A building rated F or G cannot be let unless an exemption applies | In force |
| Privately rented, over 1,000 m², from 2031 | EPC B, where cost-effective | Confirmed in the June 2026 interim response. Law still to come |
| Privately rented, 1,000 m² or under | Stays at EPC E, with no set date for going further | Stays as it is |
The government has said the full response, due later in 2026, will give more detail on the size threshold and how the new rule will work. Exemptions stay, and so does the seven-year payback test, which means only improvements that are cost-effective are required. This page is general information, not legal advice.
Does it apply to you
Does MEES 2031 apply to your building?
It is aimed at landlords, so the first question is whether the building is let.
It is aimed at a building that is
- Let to a business or organisation on a private tenancy, so the owner is a landlord.
- Over 1,000 m². The government says detail on the size threshold is still to come, so check again when the full response lands.
- In England or Wales.
It does not reach a building that is
- Owned and used by the same business, because MEES is aimed at landlords.
- 1,000 m² or under. It stays on EPC E.
- In Scotland or Northern Ireland, which have their own rules.
Where it applies
MEES covers England and Wales, not the whole of the UK
Check where your building is
Today's EPC E minimum comes from the Energy Efficiency (Private Rented Property) (England and Wales) Regulations 2015, and the June 2026 response is about England and Wales too. Scotland and Northern Ireland set their own rules, and this page does not cover them. We work across Wales and England, and we do not work in Northern Ireland. If your building is in Scotland, ask a local adviser what applies.
Landlord or tenant
Who feels MEES 2031, and who has to agree to solar
The duty and the roof often belong to different people. That is where a PPA helps.
If you are the landlord
You hold the duty. Today that means an EPC E or a registered exemption. From 2031, once the law passes, a building over 1,000 m² must reach B where it is cost-effective to do so.
If you are the tenant
The duty sits with the landlord under the current rules, though the full response may still change what tenants must do. You pay the energy bills, so you gain from cheaper power. Panels need the owner's agreement.
If you own and use the building
MEES is aimed at landlords, so you are not covered. Solar can still cut your bills, and a better EPC is useful to have if you ever let the building.
Solar for warehouses and factories
How solar helps
How on-site solar can lift a commercial EPC rating
A commercial EPC is worked out by an accredited assessor using a standard model of the building. Power the building makes on site, instead of drawing from the grid, can improve the result. That is why solar often comes up first when a building needs to move up a band.
How far the rating moves depends on the building. It depends on the roof space, how much of the power is used on site, and how the building is heated, lit and cooled. We do not promise a rating, and an assessor models it for your building. Solar will not always be enough alone. Some buildings also need work on lighting, heating or insulation.
Bigger is not always better. A system sized to the real daytime load does more than one that sends most of what it makes to the grid. That is why we ask for 12 months of usage data before anything is designed. How usage data sizes a system
Solar at no capital cost
How a PPA gets solar onto a rented building before 2031
Here is the choice in short. Comply now at no cost, or pay later. With the 2031 date in view, it is worth knowing how the first half works.
Under a power purchase agreement (PPA), a funder pays for the panels, the fitting, the scaffolding and the grid connection. Nothing is due up front, not even a deposit. You then pay only for the solar power the building uses, at a price per kWh (the unit on your bill) that stays fixed for 15 years. Between 16p and 23p today, depending on the site (September 2026).
If you are a tenant, the owner has to agree to panels on the roof. The EPC rating belongs to the building, so the owner gains from any uplift. That makes the conversation easier than it sounds. Panels owned by a funder still sit on your roof and feed your building. Ask your assessor to confirm how they are counted in your case before you rely on it.
What to do now
Four steps to take before the full response lands
None of these costs anything, and none commits you to solar.
Find the current EPC
Search the government's free Find an energy certificate service by postcode. Note the rating and the floor area.
Check size and tenancy
Is the floor area over 1,000 m²? Is the building let? Who is the landlord, and who is the tenant?
Pull together your usage
Twelve months of half-hourly smart-meter readings is best. Twelve months of bills in kWh also works.
Send a postcode and a bill
We check the roof from the air and tell you quickly whether it suits a PPA. Dave calls you back within 24 hours.
Do you qualify?Where this comes from
The sources behind this page, checked on 2 November 2026
We link to the government's own page first. The law firm notes explain the same position in more detail.
- GOV.UK: MEES in the non-domestic private rented sector, interim response (updated 18 June 2026)
- Legal 500: Non-Domestic MEES, UK Government Confirms EPC B Target For Larger Commercial Buildings From 2031
- Burges Salmon: Non-domestic MEES, larger buildings to reach EPC B by 2031
The rules may change when the full response and the secondary legislation arrive, so check the government's page before you act on this one.
£0 up front
Our funding partner pays for the system. Not even a deposit
Fixed for 15 years
Between 16p and 23p per kWh today, depending on the site (September 2026)
NAPIT
Our installers are accredited
Our installation partners are MCS registered, and RECC and NAPIT accredited
One person to call
Dave handles the funder, the installer and the grid for you, first call to first bill
In their own words
Two customers who thought it sounded too good to be true
“I was pretty sceptical initially because you never get anything for free in this life. But once Dave broke down the detail and explained to me how it would benefit Crest as an organisation, it became quickly to me a bit of a no-brainer.”
“It hasn't cost me a single penny to have it all installed.”
Keep reading
Where to go next
What is a power purchase agreement?
The two kinds of PPA, who does what, and what happens at the end.
Read the guideOur solar PPA
Nothing up front and a price fixed for 15 years. What it is and who it suits.
Read about our PPAShops, hotels and hospitality
A lot of rented commercial space is retail and hospitality. See how a PPA works for it.
Solar for retail and hotelsWarehouses and factories
Large flat roofs and daytime loads are where solar tends to fit best.
Solar for warehousesQuestions
MEES 2031 and commercial solar questions, answered
What is MEES 2031?
MEES means minimum energy efficiency standards, the lowest EPC rating a rented building may have. In its June 2026 interim response the government confirmed an EPC B from 2031 for privately rented non-domestic buildings over 1,000 m², where that is cost-effective.
Which commercial buildings will need an EPC B from 2031?
Privately rented non-domestic buildings over 1,000 m², where it is cost-effective. The government says more detail on the size threshold will come in its full response. Smaller rented buildings stay on the current minimum of EPC E.
Is EPC B from 2031 law yet?
No. It only takes effect once secondary legislation (the detailed rules ministers make) has passed through Parliament. Until then the current rules stay in force, with EPC E as the minimum.
Does the new rule apply to smaller commercial buildings?
Not at present. Rented buildings of 1,000 m² or under stay on the EPC E minimum, with no set date for going further. The government has said this gives smaller landlords and businesses more flexibility.
Does MEES apply in Scotland or Northern Ireland?
MEES covers England and Wales. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own rules, which this page does not cover. If your building is there, ask a local adviser what applies.
Can solar panels improve a commercial EPC rating?
Often, yes. A commercial EPC is worked out with a standard model, and power the building makes on site instead of drawing from the grid can improve the result. How far the rating moves depends on the building, so an assessor has to model it.
Can a solar PPA help a landlord meet MEES?
It can help, because the funder pays for the panels, the fitting and the grid connection, so there is no up-front cost. Ask your EPC assessor how a funder-owned system is counted in your case before you rely on it. We do not promise a rating.
Will solar on its own get my building to EPC B?
Not always. Some buildings also need work on lighting, heating or insulation. A good first step is to look up your current rating and floor area, then ask an assessor what would move it.
What is the seven-year payback test?
It is part of the current rules, and the government has said it stays. In short, only improvements that are cost-effective count, so a landlord is not forced into work that costs too much. Exemptions also stay.
How do I find my building's EPC rating?
Search the government's free Find an energy certificate service using the postcode. It shows the rating and when the certificate runs out. If there is no certificate, a landlord can order one from an accredited assessor.
I rent my premises. Can I still have solar?
Yes, if the building owner agrees. The panels go on their roof, and the owner gains from a better EPC rating, so the case is often easy to make. Our funding partner rents the roof space under a roof lease.
Where we work
Rented commercial buildings across North Wales and the borders
Based in Colwyn Bay, working across North Wales, Mid Wales, Cheshire, the Wirral, Merseyside and Shropshire. Further afield, our funding partner has approved installers across Great Britain.
See if solar works for your building before 2031
Send your postcode and a recent bill. We check your roof on a map and tell you quickly. It costs nothing, and nothing you sign at the start ties you in.