Energy criteria high on UK homebuyer checklists, survey finds

theguardian.com:

Homebuyers are paying more for properties with heat pumps or other low-carbon technology installed, and are looking closely at energy ratings, according to analysis by the estate agents Savills.

Energy-saving credentials are becoming important considerations for people who are looking to move and reduce soaring energy bills. Nearly six out of 10 (59%) prospective buyers told the company they were willing to pay more for a home primarily powered by renewable energy.

Homes in England and Wales that have a heat pump fitted command a premium over average regional prices, Savills found.

Meanwhile 71% of people surveyed said a home’s energy performance certificate (EPC) rating – which measures its energy performance – now played an important role in their considerations over whether to buy a property.

Almost a third (32%) of people said they put more importance on EPC ratings than they did a year ago.

“Faced with increasing energy prices, homes that offer more cost-efficient monthly alternatives – such as homes with heat pumps – are climbing higher up buyers’ wishlists when searching for a new home,” said Lawrence Bowles, residential research analyst at Savills.

The vast majority of British homes still rely on fossil fuels for heating, hot water and cooking, accounting for more than a fifth of the UK’s carbon emissions, despite government emission reduction plans.

At a time of spiralling energy bills, with further cost rises expected in the autumn, low-carbon alternatives are also viewed by some as a one way for households to lower their costs.

Ministers want to ban gas boilers in new-build homes from 2025, and may extend the policy to include all new gas boilers from the mid-2030s onwards, after which date all newly installed heating