A statement from the trade body says: “This is an opportunity for agents to encourage landlords to look at all the options to improve the energy efficiency of their property before becoming mandated to do so.
“This in turn can reduce bills for tenants and make the property a better proposition to be let out.
Landlords across England and Wales as well as owner occupiers may apply for grants of up to £5,000 off the cost and installation of an air source heat pump or a biomass boiler, and up to £6,000 off the cost and installation of a ground source heat pump are available between now and 2025.
The grant is paid directly to the installer and discounted from the price charged.
The scheme is open to domestic and small non-domestic properties with an installation capacity up to 45kWth (this covers most homes), and with a current Energy Performance Certificate with no outstanding recommendations for loft or cavity wall insulation.
Grants are only available for air source heat pumps, biomass boilers and ground source heat pumps (including water source heat pumps and those on shared ground loops).
Hybrid heat pump systems, for example a combination of a gas boiler and air source heat pump, are not eligible.
Timothy Douglas, head of policy and campaigns at Propertymark, says: “The challenge of retrofitting the UK’s housing stock is going to be huge, but funding schemes are now starting to emerge and Propertymark continues to urge policy makers to come up with more incentives for the sector.
“Better energy efficiency can reduce bills for tenants and make a property a better proposition to be let out, but there is not a single solution.
“Now is the time for letting agents to begin conversations with their landlords to look at all the options and explore how they can maximise grants and other financial support available.”
In the recent Spring Statement, the government made improved energy efficiency a key goal, and has made it clear it wants to extend the current Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards for the private rented sector in England and Wales.
This is linked to the Heat and Buildings Strategy launched in October 2021.
You can find more details here.
Original Source: Letting Agent Today.
Original Author: Graham Norwood.
Agents told to encourage landlords to better energy-e… (lettingagenttoday.co.uk)
