Efficiency costs 'take over 200 years to recoup'

Homeowners who follow the advice of Energy Performance Certificates (EPCs) with regards to energy efficient adjustments for their properties will not be able to recoup costs for more than 200 years, it has been suggested.

The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (Rics) has said that it could take as long as 208 years before homeowners see the financial benefits of their alterations.

The likes of cavity wall insulation takes five years to pay off, Rics has suggested, with loft insulation taking 13 years.

Double glazing was also highly cost inefficient, the study found, with homeowners typically having to wait 124 years until they had offset the cost.

"The government needs to do a lot more than just introduce a 'fridge style' energy rating system to encourage people to take up energy saving measures into their homes," noted Rics head of policy and public affairs Jill Craig.

"Rics has been calling on government to reduce the level of VAT applied to all energy saving measures and to provide an attractive grant program to aid real change," Ms Craig added.

However, recent assertions from environmentally-friendly groups have provided an alternative view, suggesting that many changes can save money without being costly to implement.

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