Have You Heard Of The New Sustainability Declaration?

In Queensland it is now compulsory for property owners to fill out a Sustainability Declaration to be provided to prospective home buyers looking to purchase their property.

Any property that is being marketed (on the market) from 1 January 2010 must have this form filled out by the owner ready for sale, even if the property was actually listed prior to that date. The form must be presented to potential buyers on their request and if a home is open for display or for auction then it must be presented at that time.

The purpose of the Qld Government is to make buyers aware of sustainability living and to encourage them to consider this when purchasing, but of course this will have a roll on effect too as it becomes more popular with buyers specifically looking for homes with high sustainability levels.

The key areas being addressed are water, energy, access and safety. The form can be downloaded from the Department of Infrastructure and Planning and there is information on this site to help you fill it out if you have difficulties.

This most certainly is a step by governments to encourage owners to use eco-friendly adjustments to properties when doing renovations. Here are a few of the eco-friendly alterations that could be made to save energy and water:

o Give consideration to maximising light – do you need to put in a sky light or a window to give better light and ventilation

o Do you need to knock out a wall to make a better air flow through the house to save on air-conditioning

o Are the windows and doors large enough to allow a good air flow through the house

o What about putting in a rainwater tank

• Put in a low maintenance garden with drought resistant plants

Filed Under: Property News

Tags: buying properties • new property legislation • Qld sustainability declaration • selling investment properties • selling properties • sustainability declaration