EPCs are not required on sale or rent for buildings due to be demolished, provided the seller or

landlord can demonstrate that:

• the building is to be sold or rented out with vacant possession
• the building is suitable for demolition and
• the resulting site is suitable for redevelopment
• all relevant planning permissions, listed building consents and conservation area consents exist in relation to the demolition, and
• they believe, on reasonable grounds, that a prospective buyer or tenant intends to demolish the building (e.g. on evidence of an application for planning permission)

The duties relating to EPCs do not apply to:

• buildings used as places of worship and for religious activities
• temporary buildings with a planned time of use of two years or less, industrial sites, workshops and residential agricultural buildings with low energy demand and residential agricultural buildings which are in use by a sector covered by a national sectoral agreement on energy performance
• stand-alone buildings with a total useful floor area of less than 50m2

Additionally, in line with the removal of unnecessary gold-plating, from 9 January 2013, the following types of buildings will not require an EPC:

• buildings and monuments officially protected as part of a designated environment or because of their special architectural or historic merit in so far as compliance with certain energy efficiency requirements would unacceptably alter their character or appearance