New homes are more energy efficient, says E.ON survey

Homebuyers who choose to purchase a new-build home can generally expect to save money on energy bills compared to those buying a second-hand property, a new survey shows.

A study conducted by E.ON found that a significantly high number of people consider new-build homes to be the most energy efficient type of property, thanks to a wide range of mod cons and development targets, with housebuilders required to build properties to a minimum standard of Code Level 3.

The survey of 2,009 adults, conducted to explore people's attitudes to home buying and energy efficiency, found that 85% of people, or 1,707 of those surveyed, consider new homes to be most energy efficient. While acknowledging that most people identified new-builds as being most energy efficient, Beverley Maguire, energy efficiency expert at E.ON, insisted that many older properties "can be efficient too".

She commented: "Before making a decision, buyers should make sure they know about the condition of the property's heating system and whether it's well insulated. Energy suppliers can help with free or discounted insulation and boiler replacements for people who qualify."

Additional findings from the study showed that people generally tend to visit eight homes, on average, before selecting the right one for them.

However, one in 14 homeowners insisted that they would have been happy to make an offer on the first house they saw. The research also suggests the typical time to find the perfect home is now 16 weeks.

At 74%, location is the most important factor when choosing the most suitable property. This is followed by mortgage costs (56%), size of the property (53%) and the amount of work needed on a property (40%).

Meanwhile, the biggest incentive for getting on the property ladder is financial, with 67% saying the best thing about owning a property is the long-term investment potential.