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Houses with good EPCs sell for more, claims government
19 Jun 2013
Homes with good EPCs are worth on average 14% more.
This claim – which is interesting, since our readers constantly tell us that no one looks at EPCs when buying – comes from the Department of Energy and Climate Change, which says that making energy improvements to a property could boost its value by even more than the average, by as much as 38%.
For an average home, improving its EPC from band G to E, or from band D to B, could mean adding more than £16,000 to the sale price of the property.
In the North-East, improved energy efficiency from band G to E could increase this value by over £25,000 and the average home in the North-West could see £23,000 added to its value.
The DECC's report, which took into account over 300,000 property sales in England between 1995 and 2011, says that its research ‘indicates’ that energy efficiency is now a key factor influencing the sale price of most residential dwellings in England.
Energy and Climate Change minister Greg Barker said: “We have long known the benefits of making energy saving improvements to the home, but this study is real evidence of the huge potential rewards.
Most affordable new homes will be built for rent
06 Dec 2011
Questions have been raised in Parliament about the private rented sector, with strong concerns raised about rent levels and the revelation that most of the new affordable homes to be built by April 2015 will be for rent.
The question of regulating letting agents was also raised – and, unusually, the issue was not rejected out of hand.
The exchanges in the Lords were sparked by Labour peer Lord Kennedy of Southwark, who asked what action the Government was taking to deal with the shortage of homes for rent.
Baroness Hanham, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at Communities and Local Government, replied: “The Government are committed to the provision of affordable housing and are investing nearly £4.5bn to help deliver up to 170,000 new affordable homes, mainly for rent, by April 2015 in England.”
Lord Kennedy said that there was a “lamentable failure of the Government on new homes for rent”.
He said that a family of two adults and two children living in the London borough of Newham needs an income of £48,000 a year to afford a home without claiming benefit.
He added: “Does the noble Baroness understand that, because of the lack of joined-up thinking across government and failed policies, hard-working families are paying the price?”
Lib Dem peer Lord Shipley pursued the matter, saying: “My Lords, does the Minister agree with me that the reason for the shortage of homes for rent is the failure of the previous Government, over 13 years, to build council houses?”
He asked: “Given the pressure on the private rented sector, and the fact that 40% of homes in that sector do not meet the decent homes standard, what consideration is being given to further regulation of the sector?
“Will the Minister consider the advice of the British Property Federation, the National Landlords Association and the Association of Residential Letting Agents that there should be a system of compulsory regulation of letting agents to ensure that professional and ethical standards are applied to private sector lettings?”
Hanham replied: “Grant Shapps has said that he is looking to see whether there is any requirement for letting agents to be registered. He is keeping that under review, but there is no plan to do so at the moment.”
Labour’s Baroness Turner of Camden also expressed concerns about rising rents. She said: “In my area of London a two-bedroom flat will cost £500 a week to rent. That is right out of the range of ordinary working people.
“Is the minister aware that after the last war there was rent regulation that enabled at least some people to get into affordable homes? Some regulation is needed in this area at present.”
Hanham replied: “I do not think that anybody wants to go back to rent control. It was not helpful, did not leave properties in good condition and was not fair.”
Lucy Taylor
Operations Director - Head Office
01865 759926 / lucy@scottfraser.co.uk
Source: Estate Agent Today
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