- Rightmove recorded a 104 per cent increase in home buyers searching for properties with air conditioning between May and July compared to last year.
- The surge in searches coincided with the UK recording its hottest day of the year so far, as temperatures reached 38.1C in Kew Gardens.
- Property experts noted that buyers are increasingly prioritising summer comfort, ventilation and energy efficiency alongside traditional factors such as price and location.
- Citizens Advice warned that millions live in poorly designed heat traps, with one in six Britons taking drastic action to cope with recent heatwaves.
- Despite changing buyer preferences, overall activity in the UK housing market remained subdued in July, although the pace of declining demand has slowed.
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