UK homeowners attempting to go green by installing a wind turbine on the roof of their home could find themselves faced with a higher council tax, on the grounds that the turbine is a 'home-improving' feature, upping the value of the house, a new report has shown.
The UK MPs report stated that local energy installations are regarded as an investment that could push up the value of the house, and this is expected to lead to higher council tax or stamp duty bands. As a result, money saved on energy bills could be cancelled out by the larger council tax bill.
Affixed upon an increasing number of rooftops in the UK, wind turbines have been a popular product among a growing number of consumers concerned with current green issues, though many believe them to be simply a green fashion statement.
The turbines can be purchased for as little as GBP1,500. However, environmental campaigners claim that the turbines only produce enough energy to power a hairdryer. If this is so, on top of the rising council tax threat, wind turbine owners could find their environmental investment failing to save them money and instead discover that they have purchased a far more expensive product than anticipated.
Cited in This Is Money, Tory spokesman on local government Caroline Spelman said: The government seems to regard home improvements as yet another opportunity to raise tax. Far from encouraging people to make eco-friendly changes to their homes Gordon Brown is actually deterring them.