Topping UK property news headlines this week was the Prime Minister’s promise that all new buildings will in future come with charging points for electric vehicles (EVs). This at a time when market analysts foresee a housing boom on the near horizon.
Other news stories suggest ways of making your second home more sustainable and the launch of a short-let licensing scheme for holiday homes in Scotland.
Let’s lift the lid on some of those stories.
All new buildings to have EV charging points from next year
In a talk on the 22nd of November to the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) about Britain’s “green industrial revolution”, the Prime Minister confirmed that legislation will be introduced to require all new buildings to have an electric vehicle (EV) charging point installed.
In its report of the speech, the Daily Mail advised that the requirement would extend not only to new homes but also to workplaces and buildings such as supermarkets. Properties in the course of major renovation and refurbishment will also be required to install such facilities.
According to the Prime Minister, the new regulations will result in the installation of an estimated 145,000 additional EV charging points and will supplement what has already been a £90 billion investment by private industry in sustainable energy projects such as hydrogen production fuelled by wind power.
Government sources described the plans for EV charging points in new buildings to be “world leading” and envisaged that charging your electric vehicle will soon become as easy as re-fuelling with petrol or diesel.
UK set for housing boom with property market busiest ever since 2007
A story by Yahoo Finance on the 28th of November echoed what many market analysts have predicted about the current state of the housing market in the UK.
Citing the house price index maintained by online listings website Zoopla, Yahoo noted that, in terms of the volume of transactions, the market is currently busier than it has been at any time in the last 14 years.
While demand is super-strong and supply relatively weak, by the end of this year, one in sixteen homes will have said goodbye to their previous owners and welcomed in new ones – a higher turnover since 2007.
Given the extremely buoyant demand, average house prices have risen by some 6.9% – compared with growth of just 3.5% a year in October 2020 – and are now running at a seven-year high.
A yearning on the part of buyers for more space in their homes and the continuing imbalance between burgeoning demand and faltering supply, ensure that prices are effectively boosted.
How to make your holiday home more sustainable
A bumper season of full to capacity bookings suggests that many thousands of holidaymakers “staycationed” this year rather than travel abroad.
A staycation helps to avoid the non-essential migration of people contributing to the Covid pandemic and is also a far more sustainable form of holiday compared with taking flights abroad.
But a story in Property Wire on the 25th of November suggested ways in which you can make your holiday home an even more sustainable choice – whether used as your second home getaway or let to short-term tenants:
- your second home could be an excellent place in which to experiment with alternative, sustainable sources of energy – whether that is hydro, solar, or wind power;
- low-flow taps, water-efficient showerheads, and dual flush toilet cisterns (which only use 6 litres of water rather than the usual 13 litres) will all help regulate your water consumption and reduce waste;
- whether the delights lie in store for you and your family or are enjoyed by your paying guests, make the most of the eco-friendly activities and adventures within striking distance of your holiday let; and
- remember that big differences can be made in the thought you give to the smaller details – reusable bottles for bathroom goodies and a switch to more environmentally friendly soaps, detergents, and washing up liquids, for example.
Short Lets licensing schemes to start in Scotland
A system of licensing for all short-term let accommodation will be launched in Scotland by October of 2022, according to a story in Landlord Today on the 29th of November.
Legislation currently before the Scottish Parliament will require local authorities to grant licences for any short-term lets within their jurisdiction. Licensing criteria will consider not only the standards and safety of such accommodation but also the wider economic impact on the local community.
Owners of existing holiday lets will be given until April 2023 to apply for the necessary licence while all such accommodation must be appropriately licensed by July 2024.
