No sale or rent if property below energy standard

The time is coming when homeowners and landlords will neither be able to sell or rent out their houses unless they achieve a certain energy efficiency level, suggested Colin Butfield, head of campaigns for World Wildlife Fund. This bold statement was made last week at a House of Commons, All Party Parliamentary Group for Intelligent Energy Meeting chaired by Colin Challen MP.

In view of the urgent need for the UK public to understand the sheer magnitude of the energy efficiency problem facing the existing housing stock, it is thought that legislation may have to be introduced which prevents homeowners and private landlords from selling or letting their properties unless they have been refurbished to a high level of sustainability.

Obviously this could cause catastrophic problems in the property market, major headaches for estate agents and untold inconvenience for existing tenants of private landlords. But it has to be done otherwise no one will take the initiative to make the necessary home improvements to help combat global warming.

Another speaker at the meeting, James Higgins, a sustainable energy policy and regulatory consultant with JDS Associates, concluded that: “Ultimately, the political, legal, moral and environmental imperative is now so strong the Great British Refurb will have to be successful in reducing domestic CO2 emission.

“Whilst the Government’s Heat and Energy Strategy is an important step forward, there remains much work for policymakers and industry to undertake if the Great British Refurb is to be implemented.

“Critically a solution is required to the financing question which will enable householders in particular to access the benefits of energy saving at a reduced upfront cost. This will require an innovative UK tailored solution and there is no time to waste!

Photo shows Colin Challen, MP from www.indymedia.org.uk

More information: www.iea.org and www.biggreenhome.org.uk