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UK home searches for air conditioning surge as heatwaves intensify

Rightmove said summer searches for air-conditioned homes climbed 104% year over year, and 87% of shoppers view a home’s ability to stay cool as important.

Reported · Written up by our desk · Residential

Heatwaves are reshaping UK homebuying priorities, with Rightmove reporting that searches for homes for sale with air conditioning have more than doubled this summer.

During the week of the UK’s fifth heatwave, when parts of England reached 38C, Rightmove said the weather is driving more attention to indoor comfort for hotter conditions, alongside traditional factors such as access to good schools and transport.

Rightmove data showed summer searches for air-conditioned homes were up 104% versus the same period last year, while its consumer research found 61% of people would consider installing air conditioning but only 12% have already done so.

The broader context includes expectations of more severe heat, as a May report from the UK Climate Change Committee warned that hotter heatwaves could cause 92% of existing homes to overheat by 2050, and that passive measures may not be enough. Rightmove also cited estimates that about 4 million UK homes now have air conditioning, double the figure from three years ago, with working from home cited as a demand factor.

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