Property Update: Inefficient homes

ALMOST half the 10,000 homes rated for energy efficiency by the Nationwide Building Society over the last year were so badly insulated that they scored one star or less (out of a maximum of five) in the Government's energy star- system. The group is now offering the test to any home owner through its new firm, Nationwide Surveyors. Raising a home by one star could cut heating bills by around 20 per cent, says Peter Hale of Nationwide Surveyors. Another service is the Homecheck, aimed at revealing structural defects. Homecheck costs pounds 95, the energy audit pounds 60 (both plus VAT).