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The report proves a shift in consumer mindset
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Nearly two-thirds of home movers in the UK want their next property to generate most or all of its own energy using solar panels, batteries, and heat pumps.
That is according to the 2026 Greener Homes Report by property website Rightmove. The report also found that 87 per cent of movers say a home’s ability to stay cool is important when choosing their next property, perhaps no surprise given the record-breaking summer temperatures earlier this year.
Just over half (53 per cent) of movers say recent energy price rises have increased their interest in technology like solar panels and battery storage. In contrast, just eight per cent said they would prefer to remain fully on the grid.
Greg Jackson, founder and CEO of Octopus Energy, said: “This Rightmove Green Homes report shows a massive shift in consumer sentiment around electrification at home – the turbulence in the Middle East means people are voting with their feet, Octopus has seen demand for heat pumps double, and solar and EV surge.”
Jackson added: “Greener homes are not only cheaper to run, they also reduce our reliance on a system still controlled by global fossil fuel markets. They mean we take back control of our energy bills, and our independence.”
And while these new technologies remain expensive and relatively rare when taking the UK housing stock as a whole, their adoption has grown significantly this decade. Rightmove said that since 2022, mentions of heat pumps in newly listed homes have risen by 151 per cent, while solar panel mentions increased 94 per cent, and electric car chargers 79 per cent.
Interest from movers has shown a similar increase, with demand for homes with heat pumps up 83 per cent, and for those with solar panels up 61 per cent.
The recent hot weather has increased movers’ desire for homes able to cool as well as heat. According to the report, 45 per cent said their current home struggles with hot weather, and 22 per cent include air conditioning among the three highest priorities for their next home. Searches for homes with air conditioning on Rightmove more than doubled this summer, rising 104 per cent compared with the same period in 2025 (also a record-breaking summer).
Well over half (61 per cent) of movers said they are considering installing air conditioning in their home.
Despite the clear demand for improving the efficiency of Britain’s homes, progress in efficiency is being made. Rightmove said 49 per cent of homes for sale and 61 per cent of rental homes now have an EPC rating of C or above.
Among new-build homes, 89 per cent have an EPC rating of A or B, compared with just six per cent of the rest of the housing stock.
Read more: Best solar panels, compared
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