EST: 'Carbon appeal' to drive property market
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Posted: 27th Aug 2008
Measures to make homes more energy efficient could become a priority for UK homeowners looking to attract a buyer, according to a new report.
Research carried out by the Energy Saving Trust (EST) found that 53 per cent of householders claim to be willing to spend more for a 'green' property.
Some 66 per cent of the people surveyed said that the current economic climate would make an energy efficient home easier to sell as buyers take into consideration the potential for lower power bills.
"In the current economic climate, it makes sense to ensure that the running costs of the home you are living in or buying are as low as possible as well as helping to cut down on your carbon dioxide emissions," said Philip Sellwood of the EST.
In contrast to this shift towards greener home features, 56 per cent of the survey's respondents said they felt estate agents tended not to know enough about a property's energy performance.
This is despite the fact that 78 per cent of homeowners think that the property value for a home rated as 'poor' on its Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) was likely to be less. The EPC forms part of the Home Information Packs that are required for a property's sale.
According to the research, 26 per cent of people intend to take action to improve the energy efficiency, and potentially the house value, of their home in the course of the next year.
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