As Ofgem announces that the energy price cap will rise by 4% this October to the highest level for three years, Newland Homes is urging house hunters to consider what their next home will cost to run.
As energy prices change once again, living in a highly energy-efficient home can reduce exposure to fluctuations in energy price. Over a full year, Newland homeowners heated and powered their EPC A-rated three and four-bedroom detached homes for between £12 and £16 a week, around the price of a takeaway pizza.
By comparison, Rightmove estimates that equivalent three and four-bedroom detached homes with an EPC D rating currently cost between £52 and £65 a week to heat and power. On this basis, the energy costs reported by Newland homeowners were around 75% lower.
House hunters in Wiltshire can benefit from this energy efficient approach at three Newland Homes developments in the county: in Kempster’s Reach in Worton near Devizes; St George’s Mead in Semington; and Lambrok Mead in Trowbridge. Each development comprises a collection of EPC A-rated, zero carbon homes incorporating air source heat pumps, solar panels and high levels of insulation to reduce the amount of energy homeowners need to buy. Prices start from £299,500, with a small selection of homes ready to move into now.
Newland Homes began building zero carbon homes in 2021. Its homes are designed to generate as much energy as they need for heating, hot water and lighting over the course of a year, resulting in lower energy bills and no net carbon emissions in use.
Marcus Evans, Sales & Marketing Director for Newland Homes, comments: “The price cap may change every three months, but the energy efficiency of your home can affect your bills for years to come. Over the course of a 30-year mortgage, an EPC A-rated four-bedroom detached home could save around £80,000 in energy costs compared with a typical second-hand home. Buyers quite rightly focus on the purchase price, but the long-term cost of running a home deserves a place in that decision too.”
“The figures shared by our homeowners provide a useful real-world snapshot” continues Marcus. “Energy use will always vary from one household to another, but the difference compared with estimated costs for equivalent EPC D-rated homes is striking. Around £2 a day to heat and power a three or four-bedroom detached home shows what can be achieved when energy efficiency is designed in from the outset. Rather than repeatedly worrying about the next price cap announcement, buyers can choose a home that needs much less energy in the first place.”
The Ofgem price cap limits the unit rates and standing charges suppliers can apply to standard variable tariffs. It does not cap a household’s total bill, which will continue to depend on how much energy is used.
For further information about Newland Homes’ zero carbon developments and available homes, visit www.newlandhomes.co.uk or follow Newland Homes on social media @newlandhomes. Tailor-made appointments are available daily, from 11.00am to 5.00pm, at each development.
