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February 12, 2019
Energy bills are an increasing pre-occupation for homeowners who, despite government promises of price caps (more on that later), continue to be hammered by rising bills. One of the biggest appeals of a new build home, therefore, is the promise of a more energy efficient home that is cheaper to run.
But analysis out this week highlights that the government isn’t taking this seriously enough, and new build homes continue to leak heat.
Back in 2015 the government decided to scrap the Zero Carbon Homes policy which would have tackled the problem. Since then, owners of new-build homes in England have paid a total of over £120m in additional energy costs because of leaky homes, according to analysis from the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU). At a household level, not introducing Zero Carbon Homes has cost occupants of new-build homes more than £200 per year on their energy bills – nearly three times the amount sought by the Government’s recently-introduced energy price cap.
“Successive governments have struggled to devise effective domestic energy policies, meaning carbon emissions from homes are rising, but Zero Carbon Homes could have made a real difference,” says Dr Jonathan Marshall EICU Head of Analysis.
“As well as future-proofing new homes, the policy would have saved families money, reduced Britain’s vulnerability to energy supply shocks, and cut carbon emissions.”
We continue to campaign for better quality new builds to help reduce the problem of leaky houses. In the meantime, here are some ideas for how you can reduce your energy bills right now.
In January a new energy price cap came into effect. It means that a typical dual fuel energy customer – that means they get their gas and electricity from the same supplier – paying by direct debit will not pay more than £1,137 a year.
But, this week OFGEM announced that from April the cap will rise to £1,254 a year due to wholesale energy price rises. A rise just six weeks after the cap was introduced doesn’t bode well for the future.
In any case, you shouldn’t rely on the promises of energy price caps to keep your bills down. There are numerous fixed price energy deals available that undercut the price cap. So, shopping around for the best deal is still well worth the effort.
Our switching service partners are OFGEM accredited and allow you to compare the best deals then switch to a cheaper energy provider. It saves the average user £243 a year.
The energy price cap doesn’t limit how much your bills might be. It simply puts a cap on the rate you’ll pay for each unit of gas or electricity you use. So, the more you use the more you’ll pay.
That means those leaky homes will still be paying extra for their energy. To tackle this you need to improve your home’s energy efficiency.
Three simple ways to do this are:
If you are living in a leaky new build don’t despair. We can help you make a successful complaint to your builder to get the leaks plugged.
Here at the HomeOwners Alliance we recommend you get a professional snagging survey done. This way an expert can inspect your home and compile a snagging list for you. They are likely to spot things you wouldn’t and can be especially useful if you suspect you have a leaky home. A good snagging inspector will use thermal cameras to check for any potential problems with your insulation. Their formal, professional report and follow-up with your home builder will help get your problems put right.
“This time of year sees lots of problems like this,” says Martyn Maxwell, a snagging surveyor with New Build Inspections. “We have had lots of clients coming through, from leaky windows and doors to whole homes missing roof or wall insulation.”
For more advice read our guide on how to fix problems in a new build home.
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