Wealden Times | WT245 | October 2022 | Kitchen & Bathroom Supplement inside
The lifestyle magazine for Kent & Sussex - Inspirational Interiors, Fabulous Fashion, Delicious Dishes
The lifestyle magazine for Kent & Sussex - Inspirational Interiors, Fabulous Fashion, Delicious Dishes
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Selling a home to appeal to eco-conscious buyers<br />
Eco features matter more to some home<br />
buyers than the size of the garden,<br />
according to a recent survey by Money.<br />
com. Solar panels now rank ahead of<br />
ensuite bathrooms on our property<br />
wish-list and, as energy prices rise,<br />
this trend looks set to continue. So, if<br />
you are selling your home, how do you<br />
appeal to today’s eco-conscious buyers?<br />
Your EPC can help you<br />
The EPC is a short report, produced by<br />
an accredited energy assessor. It will rate<br />
your home A to G, with A being the most<br />
energy efficient grading. The EPC should<br />
also include recommendations to improve<br />
your home’s rating.<br />
Take care to consider the EPC’s<br />
recommendations before putting your<br />
home on the market. It may reveal some<br />
straightforward ways to make your home<br />
eco-friendlier. If you are commissioning<br />
a new EPC, you may want to increase<br />
your home’s energy efficiency rst. There<br />
may be cost-effective ways of doing this,<br />
for example, by switching to LED bulbs<br />
or insulating your loft. You can nd<br />
suggestions at Simple Energy Advice.<br />
Focus on the most cost-effective ways to<br />
add value<br />
Improving your home’s energy efficiency<br />
can involve a lot of time and initial<br />
expense. So, if you plan to move soon, you<br />
may be better off improving your new<br />
home. For example, a new geothermal<br />
heat pump can cost around £13,000 but<br />
is unlikely to add an equivalent amount<br />
to the sale price you achieve. On the other<br />
hand, an electric vehicle charging point<br />
can be inexpensive to install but, according<br />
to a recent study, can attract a premium.<br />
Every home is unique, and what works<br />
well for one property may be more<br />
difficult to implement in another. Talking<br />
things through with your surveyor or an<br />
independent energy assessor can help you<br />
consider your options objectively. Your<br />
estate agent may also have views on the<br />
impact on your home’s marketability. For<br />
example, solar panels can divide opinion.<br />
Some buyers welcome the potential<br />
savings, while others nd they detract<br />
from the ‘kerb appeal’.<br />
If you have plans to update or extend<br />
your home anyway, it can make sense to<br />
incorporate some energy saving features.<br />
Upgrading to a new boiler, or installing<br />
double, or even triple, glazing could make<br />
your home more attractive. Using more<br />
bio-friendly paint, low in volatile organic<br />
compounds, could help you appeal to their<br />
eco-credentials without having to spend<br />
a lot.<br />
Make sure you obtain all the necessary<br />
statutory consents<br />
For some improvements, you may need<br />
building regulations consent and planning<br />
permission. It is important to obtain the<br />
correct consents, or the local authority<br />
could require you to reinstate your home<br />
to its original condition.<br />
You will only need planning permission<br />
if your improvement works amount<br />
to development. In any case, unless<br />
your home is listed or other special<br />
considerations apply, permitted<br />
development rights may avoid the need to<br />
make an express application.<br />
Building regulations aim to ensure<br />
the quality of work and to protect<br />
the environment. Most signicant<br />
improvements, for example, solid or cavity<br />
wall insulation, double glazing, solar<br />
panels, or new boilers, all require building<br />
regulations consent.<br />
Other consents you may need<br />
If your property is leasehold, then you<br />
may also need your landlord’s consent,<br />
although they will not usually be able to<br />
withhold their consent unreasonably. The<br />
terms of your lease will determine this.<br />
Occasionally, there may be title restrictions<br />
which mean you need a third party’s<br />
consent, or they may limit what you can<br />
do to your property. If you plan major<br />
work, such as installing solar panels, then<br />
you should check your property’s title for<br />
any restrictions rst or ask your solicitor<br />
to do so.<br />
Keep the paperwork safe<br />
When you are busy getting your home<br />
ready for sale, it can be easy to forget<br />
the paperwork. However, as well as any<br />
necessary consents, remember to keep<br />
any guarantees or warranties safe. Your<br />
buyers are likely to require these before<br />
completing their purchase.<br />
Small changes can make a difference<br />
You may decide not to make any major<br />
improvements to your home because the<br />
cost outweighs the benet. However, it<br />
is still worth considering how to appeal<br />
to eco-conscious buyers. It could be<br />
something as simple as installing a smart<br />
meter or programmable thermostats. Even<br />
remembering to get your boiler serviced<br />
regularly can help, letting you address any<br />
minor issue before it becomes a problem.<br />
Contact Warners Solicitors on 01732 747900 to nd out more about how they<br />
can help you plan for your family’s future.<br />
www.warners-solicitors.co.uk<br />
The contents of this article are for the purposes of general awareness only. They do not purport to constitute legal or professional advice. The law may have<br />
changed since this article was published. Readers should not act on the basis of the information included and should take appropriate professional advice.
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