70%

26 Oct 2010, 11:41 Add Comment

70% of property buyers would negotiate on a property's price if they discovered it was not energy efficient according to a survey by the Energy Saving Trust.

Go on: Energy bill price hikes are making energy efficiency of greater importance to UK property buyers. One fifth of UK homes are rated F or G in the energy efficiency scale, these are the least energy efficient homes and buyers ought to be told if a property they are considering purchasing is one of the worst culprits for purchasing a house.

What's in the pipeline? By 2012, it will be compulsory for all property 'for sale' advertisements to publish the energy performance indicator of the energy performance certificate of the building being sold. This is in accordance with a new EU directive.

In the future 'for sale' boards will have to display energy efficiency ratings, something which is currently not a feature. At present, an EPC must be commissioned before a property goes on market, however the information might not be available when a potential purchaser initially views it. The new ruling is set to change this and efficiency information must be made readily available right from the outset.

Why the fuss? People need to know what they are buying into, right from the outset, it's their right. At the moment potential property purchasers don't have to be made aware of a property's energy performance at their first viewing and often find out later down the line, when it's too late.

It is a reasonable legislation that's there for a purpose. When you buy a car you want to know how much fuel it uses, the same applies for making a house purchase.

What should be done? There is plenty of financial help available to allow people to get their homes up to scratch before selling.

Simple measures, such as wall insulation, draught excluders, double glazing and energy efficient condensing boilers can make a huge reduction in the amount of energy we consume and, therefore, the CO2 emissions from the home.

A recent study conducted by the Energy Saving Trust found most properties could be improved to meet current green energy standards for less than £3,000. Property owners with great efficiency should be shouting about it to help sales. Those with low scores need to act now to avoid hindering potential sales in the future.

EPCs are compulsory, and it makes sense that the findings from these certificates are made readily available from the very beginning of the property buying process

Marc Blomfield is managing director of the National EPC Company based in Wilmslow, Cheshire.

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