Supposed 'Eco-Friendly' Homes Doubled Owners' Energy Bills

They were supposed to be the models of environmentally-friendly construction, but these supposedly "green" homes at Pavilion Gardens -- that promised to keep energy efficiency high and electricity bills low -- did anything but.

Despite being highly insulated and packed with green features -- heated, supposedly, by biomass boilers or air heat pumps, and equipped with solar panels -- homeowners at Pavilion Gardens complain that their homes are racking up bills twice as much as a regular electricity bill.

"We thought it was going to be our dream house," resident Sunny Tanday told The Daily Mail. Tanday's electricity bills have been averaging 500 British pounds (around $780) a quarter, and he has had to borrow money just to cover the charges. "[The homes] are not what we expected them to be in terms of power-saving and being cheap to run. We moved in here to be a family, but it's just tearing us apart because the big bills are making us argue all the time. There are people in the street who already want to move out because it's just too expensive."

These people include neighbors Danny and Jacqueline Hall, who echoed the Tanday family's concerns. After only six months of living at Pavilion Gardens, the Halls received a bill for 1,600 pounds -- almost double what they paid at their previous (non "eco-friendly") home.

The problems weren't just financial, either. When the Halls moved into their home, there was no water in the toilets because the water recycling system had not been activated. Other residents also complained of faulty equipment.

A spokesman for the Bradford Council, where Pavilion Gardens is located, has assured The Daily Mail that they will work with residents to "find a solution" to the problem. But if that doesn't work, Pavilion Gardens residents can always turn to off-grid living for a guaranteed reduction in energy costs (or, for the brave-hearted, school bus living).

%Gallery-156189%
See also:
Solar Power at Home Saves Money
Green Living for Renters
7 Green Home Trends: From Baby Steps to Extreme Updates

More on AOL Real Estate:
Find out how to calculate mortgage payments.
Find homes for sale in your area.
Find foreclosures in your area.
Find homes for rent in your area.

Follow us on Twitter at @AOLRealEstate, or connect with AOL Real Estate on Facebookand Pinterest.