Something missing in the Budget and homes to develop

THIS week’s Budget brought very little for the property sector and homeowners, apart from extending the guarantee of an energy price cap for the next three months, bringing pre-payment meter costs in line with the average direct debit payment and adding trades such as bricklayers and carpenters to the Shortage of Occupation List, which allows firms to recruit staff from overseas.

What was shockingly absent was help for those who want to make their homes more energy efficient.

There were no financial incentives for homeowners to install insulation and electricity generating solar panels, which many of us would have welcomed in a bid to cut energy bills in a clean and green way.

Instead, billions will go into generating nuclear energy.

Brian Berry, chief executive of the Federation of Master Builders, agreed, and said: “It was disappointing that measures to improve the energy efficiency of our homes didn’t feature in this Budget.

“It is one of the most pressing issues and could result in a huge boost in jobs and economic activity at the local level.

“We hoped the Government would embrace retrofit as a major long-term infrastructure project but this opportunity has been lost.

“Keeping the energy price guarantee is a big win for homeowners’ pockets for now, but ultimately money will keep leaking out of our draughty, inefficient homes until a sustained retrofit programme gets political backing.”

In brighter news, Doug Shephard, director at Home.co.uk, says that given a further month of improving marketing times and no nasty shocks from the Bank of England or UK Treasury, asking prices will likely form a firm base from which growth can occur.

In Property Post this week, we look at how first-time buyers can find affordable homes and feature properties that have potential near

Skipton.