Climate awareness leads to raised fines for portfolio owners.

Updated 30/06/2026

Maintaining MEES compliance is becoming increasingly important for portfolio landlords as the growing awareness on climate change and environmental issues could see regulators clamp down on landlords who have failed to achieve the minimum standards for their rental properties. There will be further pressure as we approach 2031 and the EPC ‘B’ target for buildings over 1000m2 as there is also an increased focus on enforcment proposed.

What action has been taken on MEES compliance?

As of April, Business Green reported that no councils had as yet ‘named and shamed’ landlords who had failed to achieve MEES compliance and the property industry has been, to a certain extent, lax about taking action on non-compliant properties, with anecdotal evidence of non-compliant properties still being widely available to let.   In our experience, many portfolio owners have still to even assess their risk.

However, the laid-back approach from regulators could be set to change.  Buildings account for 66% of electricity consumption and direct greenhouse gas emissions of around 85 MtCO2e (2017 figure).  With high profile climate change campaigns like Extinction Rebellion paralysing the capital and dominating media headlines, the public are calling for action and landlords present an easy target, because the regulations to issue fines are already in place and funds are being made available for enforcement bodies.

What are the regulations surrounding MEES compliance?

As of 1 April 2018 non-domestic rental properties had to achieve an EPC rating of ‘E’ or above.  From 2031 those over 1000m2 will have to achieve EPC ‘B’.

Low carbon consultants MEES Solutions provide low carbon advice, MEES solutions and EPCs to commercial property portfolio holders.  They say that, in their experience, portfolio owners are unnecessarily leaving themselves open to the risk of big fines when the solutions are often fairly straightwforward.  Director Dave Cadwallader explains:

“In practice, we are able to help most landlords achieve the minimum standards and our common sense approach means that any necessary improvements can be achieved whilst minimising capital expenditure.  

“With climate demonstrations rightly raising awareness of the threat from climate change, we expect regulators to find their teeth.  Fines could be up to £150,000 per property, so ignoring the regulations represents a big risk for portfolio owners.

“For portfolio owners who have not yet achieved MEES compliance across their property portfolio, our advice is to pick up the phone. As Low carbon consultants we are experts in EPC and MEES and have worked in the sector since 2008”