Energy suppliers to be mandated to give access to usage data on commercial properties

Energy suppliers must give all commercial property landlords and tenants free access to up to 12 months of their energy use data from 1 December 2022.

They will also be required to regularly provide usage data to smaller non-domestic customers with smart meters to help them make informed choices about their energy consumption by 1 October 2024.

Energy suppliers are not currently obliged to provide non-domestic customers with a way of accessing or engaging with their energy consumption data.

Last July the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy consulted on changes to energy supply licence conditions that would establish a baseline data offer that non-domestic smart meter customers are entitled to receive from their energy supplier.

In its consultation response, the DBEIS says it will amend energy supplier licence conditions to ‘improve the smart meter data offer for non-domestic consumers’.

Anthony Meadowcroft, President of Propertymark’s Commercial Advisory Committee, said:

“Improving energy efficiency is a major issue in the commercial property sector, and letting agents and their landlords and tenants will only be able to make informed choices about how they can reduce their usage if they have unrestricted access to their data.

“We will be seeking some clarification on how ‘smart’ the energy use information will be when it comes to mixed use properties with multiple tenants.

“But the principle of this data being available to tenants and landlords is a positive step forward in helping the sector meet the very challenging target of all commercial rented properties achieving a Band C EPC rating by 2027.”