Sky News - UK Seller's Information Pack

July 27, 2004
... show that the public wants the sort of information promised by the Government's planned Home Seller's Information Pack, which owners and sellers will have to ..

Most homebuyers want to know how their property rates in terms of environmental friendliness, according to a survey.

Details about energy efficiency and lower running costs are seen as a priority in making an informed decision for 87% of purchasers, according to the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment (Cabe), WWF and Halifax.


Enhanced air quality and daylight, use of low allergy and environmentally-friendly material, and water efficiency also top the list of eco-friendly assets buyers consider important.

The findings also show that 84% of those surveyed are prepared to pay an average 2% extra on the purchase price for environmentally- friendly homes.

The findings show that the public wants the sort of information promised by the Government's planned Home Seller's Information Pack, which owners and sellers will have to provide for prospective buyers by January 2006.

CABE and WWF welcome the inclusion of surveys and energy efficiency assessments of new homes in the pack.

But they fear it will fall short of providing the basic information consumers clearly want and need to help them make educated

judgments and get value for money.

Paul King, Director of WWF's One Million Sustainable Homes campaign, said: "This research provides powerful evidence of a growing concern about environmental and design issues."

Robin Nicholson, Cabe Commissioner and a leading architect of sustainable buildings, said: "This survey reflects a much higher priority placed on environmental issues by home buyers than we had all previously assumed."