Deadline for EPCs looming

Licensees looking to sell their pub are being urged to get to grips with Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) - a commercial form of HIPS - which come into effect next month.

From April 8 all commercial buildings with a floor space greater than 10,000m sq will need an EPC - showing energy efficiency - when they are bought, sold or leased. Then from July 1, pubs bigger than 2,500m sq will need an EPC, while all commercial buildings will need one from October 1.

However, a CBI survey has revealed that half of firms (51 per cent) were either unaware of EPCs or have yet to take action.

Darren Bond, head of valuation services at agents Christie + Co, admitted most pubs would not be affected be the first deadline next month, but more would be in July.

However he warned it was still "down the list of priorities" for many licensees and companies. "It's the same situation as HIPS, as it's very last minute," he said.

"But the difference is that the legislation on EPCs will not be delayed as it's an EU directive and the government would be fined."

Bond estimated that the cost of obtaining an EPC for licensees could be between £500 and £1,000. But he pointed out that there were currently very few qualified assessors.

"Publicans will have to find competent people to carry out an assessment if they are selling their premises, which could take time," he said.

Certificates issued will include a rating between A and G, where A is very efficient and G is very inefficient, giving a quick guide on the efficiency of a building.

Bond dismissed the idea that a pub's value would be affected by its EPC rating initially, but he warned that it could cause problems if the government decided to introduce a tax on premises that were energy inefficient.

Tony Payne, chief executive of the Federation of Licensed Victuallers' Associations, said sales were often already delayed because of the number of checks needed on a pub.

He said: "EPCs are clearly a good thing for prospective buyers, but for sellers it will be another thing they have to sort out which could delay them and lose them the sale."

For a full guide to EPCs visit: http://www.cbi.org.uk/pdf/propertysupp0208.pdf