A new survey found 48 per cent of owners and prospective homeowners would consider work to improve a property’s EPC if that meant a more favourable mortgage rate
A new survey suggests two thirds of current or potential home owners would accept the idea of a mortgage interest rate based on their property’s EPC rating.
The survey of 300 existing or future owners was done by a polling firm last year on behalf of Foundation Home Loans. It found that 67 per cent would regard a mortgage rate based on a property’s Energy Performance rating as an appealing feature of a loan.
The research also found 48 per cent of owners and prospective homeowners would consider work to improve a property’s EPC if that meant a more favourable mortgage rate.
George Gee, commercial director at Foundation Home Loans, says: There’s no doubting we’re going to be seeing a much greater government focus on the UK’s housing stock, how its energy efficiency ratings can be improved, and how that might help the UK meet its carbon emission targets.
To that end, there appears to be a far greater appreciation of energy efficiency within the home from individuals, and it’s positive to see two-thirds of all those polled saying a mortgage product with rates based on EPC ratings would be an appealing part of the overall product mix, he said.
In a separate development, domestic fuel bills are set to rise by at least 50 per cent when the new energy price cap comes into force in April, according to Martin Lewis, the founder of the Money Saving Expert.
What’s coming in April is a seismic hit for fuel bills which is going to be astronomical. They (the government) have to sort this now because if we leave this before it’s too late it will be a disaster, he said.
He adds: We are going to see a minimum 50 per cent increase in energy prices in the system and that is unsustainable for many. We need to look at what we can do now and how we can protect those people who will need to choose between heating and eating.