Why seller may need to boost home energy efficiency

Article date : 15/08/2010

Under a new European Union directive, potential property buyers will be able to find out the energy efficiency rating of a home before they buy it, meaning it may be beneficial for sellers to go green.

The legislation, which is expected to come into force in 2012, will mean that homeowners have to commission an energy performance certificate and make the results available in the sales advert before a transaction is made.

As a result, Ebico is urging people to work on the energy efficiency of their homes now, with additional benefits being that it could help them to reduce their utility bills.

Commenting on the news, Gordon Miller, sustainability and communications director of Sustain, said: "From a buyer's point of view, it has got to be a positive because it gives you that information and you can make that judgment at the time when you are looking at the property."

However, he added that the legislation could place a bigger burden on sellers, although he acknowledged that the general public was increasingly in favour of energy efficiency and the benefits this can bring.

Written by Tony Harrison

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