← Back to News
Huge change facing property world as gas looks set to be phased out
The property world looks set to be facing an enormous upheaval following the climate change deal in Paris which could see the end of cooking and heating with gas in the UK.
Gas hobs, cookers, fires and boilers could all be phased out within 15 years, with households dumping appliances.
All gas-fired power stations must also close by the mid-2030s, unless they manage to remove CO2 from their emissions.
Around 23m British homes use gas.
Bob Ward, policy director at the Grantham Research Institute of Climate Change, said that to meet Britain’s commitment to the deal, the days of using gas are numbered.
He said: “Gas cookers will be phased out, probably as soon as possible.
“I suspect manufacturers will simply stop making them.”
The Government is keen for greater take-up of alternative technologies such as heat pumps, and intermittent wind and solar power, in which there would be different energy tariffs charged depending on, for example, whether the day is bright and breezy or overcast and still.
The implications for people buying, selling, renting and letting homes will be enormous if the present and future governments follow through.
Landlords, for example, who are considering refurbishing properties may already want to start thinking about the heating and cooking systems they should put in.
As the 15 years go by, homes with gas central heating could be worth less.
In addition, the EPC industry is likely to be thrown into turmoil, as at present gas systems count for more than electrical ones.
Critics are also pointing out that if 23m homes chuck out all their gas appliances in the next 15 years, that will be an awful lot of landfill.
