好色先生TV

Energy performance certificates could cost 10 times more and take four times longer to assess than the government has estimated.

Last year, the communities department suggested that EPCs would cost 拢148m to implement in non-domestic buildings in 2008 and 拢1.5bn between now and 2020. It said: 鈥淭he cost is likely to be 拢250-500 for small premises and up to 拢2,000 for larger ones.鈥�

However, commercial energy assessors have described the estimate as 鈥渉opelessly inadequate鈥�. They claim EPCs will cost 拢1.5bn this year and 拢11bn until 2020 to implement.

Rob Corbyn, an energy assessor for consultant RLF, said: 鈥淭he government said an EPC for a small commercial office would cost 拢500, but we estimate it will be about 拢4,000.鈥�

He said this was because the government had underestimated the time it took to issue EPCs: 鈥淲ith travel, data collation and input, and client audit, the one day the government suggests a small office would take to assess turns into three or four.鈥�

He says he recently quoted a client 拢5,000 to assess a 1,500m2 commercial building.

Simon Hardwick, a lawyer with Halliwells, said: 鈥淭he indication from commercial energy assessors is that the government鈥檚 estimates are far too low.鈥�

Peter Williams, a lawyer with Eversheds, said: 鈥淪ometimes it might be cheaper to risk the fine, but it is not safe to assume so.鈥�

Fines, imposed by the Trading Standards Office, are set at 12.5% of the rateable value of the property to a maximum of 拢5,000.

A communities department spokesperson said: 鈥淭his programme has been running for less than a month. It is too early to draw hard conclusions around costs and time.鈥�