Consumer attitudes to retrofit: Examining the barriers and motivators for consumers when making energy efficiency or low-carbon home upgrades
Based on a nationally representative survey of over 10,000 homeowners, this report aims to give policymakers a better sense of the real-world concerns, motivators and barriers to home retrofit that consumers experience.
It found that while most homeowners are interested in retrofitting their home, there are significant barriers and concerns. Cost is the most prominent, but there are also significant anxieties about the reliability of tradespeople, whether the interventions will reduce their energy bills and what would happen if something goes wrong.
Key stats include:
72% of homeowners are interested in making at least one energy efficiency or low-carbon improvement in the next five years. But other household improvements, like new kitchens and gardens, are a higher priority.
Among those interested in making energy efficiency improvements, two-thirds (66%) are concerned about the cost and over one-third (34%) are worried about whether these changes will actually lead to energy and cost savings.
When choosing a contractor, 60% are concerned about the contractor’s reliability and trustworthiness, while over one-third (34%) were worried about accountability and redress if something went wrong.
It is clear that consumers need much more support and reassurance for the rollout of home retrofit measures to be a success. We recommend:
A package of financial support to help homeowners with the cost of retrofit. This includes fully funded upgrades for low income homeowners in inefficient homes, grants tapered by household income and government-backed low interest loans.
A national advice service that provides free, independent and personalised advice to help consumers throughout the home retrofit journey, including when choosing the right improvements for their home. It should also include additional case handling support for vulnerable consumers.
A reformed consumer protection landscape for home retrofit that has a single, mandatory quality scheme and a single Ombudsman, backed up by a robust enforcement regime and access to independent advice.