Paul Hilton

The independent market research by Scottish property portal ESPC, covering its core territories of Edinburgh, the Lothians, Fife and the Borders, indicates that the Scottish Government needs to go much further with promoting, educating and informing homeowners and aspiring homeowners about the implications and expenses of meeting the proposed new standards for energy efficiency.

As part of the stringent targets set by the government, homeowners would be expected to ensure their homes meet a minimum standard of an EPC rating of C by 2033.

Progressive conducted the research in March and April 2024, with over 500 homeowners spoken to in on-street surveys in towns and city centres across Edinburgh, the Lothians, Fife and the Borders, and a further 272 homeowners from the same regions completed an online version of the survey.

Four in five homeowners were aware of the net-zero targets, though homeowners (86%) were more likely to know this than first-time buyers (73%), suggesting promotion and education is required to reach this group who will be most adversely impacted in terms of expense.

Around half of homeowners and first-time buyers were not aware of the details of an EPC rating or had never heard of an EPC.

Nearly two-thirds (73%) of homeowners surveyed said they weren’t aware of the government plans to introduce mandatory minimum standards of energy efficiency for owner-occupied properties. Just 7% of participants could correctly identify the minimum proposed EPC rating of C.

A third (32%) of those surveyed had not heard of the Scottish Government’s plans to phase out fossil fuel gas boilers from 2028.

Less than half (45%) of those who had heard of the government’s net-zero plan were aware of what ‘net-zero’ means for them as a homeowner.

Homeowners were largely very aware of their own property’s energy efficiency status, with just 6% of homeowners stating they were ‘unsure’ of the status.

Just under half (49%) of the general homeowner market surveyed said that they believed their home meets the proposed minimum standards. However, 35% of these respondents either live in a home that actually doesn’t meet the minimum standards or aren’t completely sure of their home’s EPC rating.

An overwhelming 90% of homeowners surveyed have made at least one change to improve their home’s energy efficiency. The most common upgrade was low-energy lighting, but significant proportions of those surveyed made more substantial changes including upgrading windows (34%), boilers (45%), loft and/or roof insulation (43%), and installing solar panels (12%).

However, 46% of homeowners stated that they have not or do not plan to upgrade their current heating system to a zero-emission system. Just one in four of those surveyed say that they either have upgraded or plan to in future.

The survey also found that 90% of the general homeowner audience believe that the Scottish Government should pay for at least some of the costs associated with meeting the proposed EPC rating of C, while one in three felt that all costs should be covered by the government.

Paul Hilton, CEO of ESPC, said: “With so much discussion in the press and in the housing industry around the Scottish Government’s net zero targets, it could be easy to assume that everyone is on the same page and understands the expectations and the implications that meeting these targets carries.

“However, it’s clear to see from this independent market research that the government has a long way to go in terms of educating and informing the very homeowners that will be liable for meeting these standards, and for the costs involved in doing so. This research has revealed that great swathes of homeowners are not fully aware of the costs involved or the enforcements that are forthcoming.

“At ESPC, we have long been advocating for better support for homeowners on the path to meet the net-zero targets, and this research highlights how desperately that support is needed – not just financially, but also in terms of making the guidelines, or laws, as they soon may be, accessible and comprehensive across the board.

“Much more education is required if the government truly expects homeowners to meet these standards in the proposed timeline.”