IMPORTANT UPDATE TO MEES (07/09/2026)
Dear Assessor,
We are writing to inform you of upcoming changes to the Scheme Operating Requirements, agreed between government (MHCLG) and the Energy Assessor Scheme Operating Board (EASOB). These changes affect how evidence is recorded and declared for EPC, DEC and ACIR assessments, and we want to make sure you understand what's changing and what it means for your day-to-day work.
Please note: these changes currently apply to assessments carried out in England and Wales only. If you also operate in Scotland or Northern Ireland, different arrangements may apply there — we will let you know if this changes.
What's changing
Government has confirmed agreement on the first stage of changes to the Scheme Operating Requirements. These introduce:
Minimum evidence requirements: a defined baseline of evidence that must be held to support each strand of an assessment.
A declaration on lodgement: assessors will be required to confirm, at the point of lodging an assessment, that they hold the minimum required evidence (or have recorded in their site notes why it could not be obtained), and that the assessment complies with current methodology and conventions.
These changes are the first step in a wider programme to improve quality, consistency and trust across the Energy Performance of Buildings regime.
Why this is happening
Government's aim is to strengthen confidence in energy performance information for consumers, building owners, industry and government alike, by making sure the good practice already followed by most assessors is properly evidenced and consistently applied across the profession.
This sits alongside the government's wider EPC reform consultation, which is considering longer-term changes to the EPC framework itself. The evidence and declaration changes are a more immediate step, focused on strengthening trust in assessments carried out under the current methodology
What this means for you
Evidence gathering: You will need to ensure you hold the minimum required evidence for each element of your assessments going forward. Where evidence cannot be obtained, you must clearly record the reason in your site notes.
This should not be a big change for most of you: Quidos' minimum evidence guidance has always reflected the evidence you should be collecting on-site. For assessors already following our existing guidance, this change is largely about formalising and evidencing practice you should already have in place, rather than introducing new expectations.
The declaration: At lodgement, you will be asked to confirm compliance in a short formal declaration. We will share the exact wording ahead of the go-live date.
Accountability: Please read the declaration carefully each time before lodging. This is not a formality; it is a professional confirmation that you stand behind.
No change (yet) to methodology itself: These changes are about evidencing and declaring compliance with the current methodology and conventions — they do not themselves introduce new technical methodology at this stage.
Timeline
From 1 October: Minimum evidence requirements apply to all lodgements from this date. Please ensure your evidence-gathering practices meet the new baseline in good time.
Later this year: The lodgement declaration will go live. We will confirm the exact go-live date and any final wording as soon as this is issued.
Support and feedback
As always or support teams are available to talk through any questions queries or feedback on the usual channels:
01225 667570 (Option2)
Kind regards,
Billy Say
Scheme Manager
Link to the minimum evidences : https://easob.co.uk/