The new £2bn grant scheme in England for projects such as insulation, unveiled yesterday by the chancellor Rishi Sunak as part of a wider £3bn plan to cut emissions, initially did not appear to include homes in the private rented sector.
Hundreds of thousands of homeowners will receive vouchers of up to £5,000 for energy-saving home improvements, with the poorest getting up to £10,000, but Labour cast doubt on whether buy-to-let landlords would qualify for the Green Homes Grant.
Labour yesterday called for a “broader and bigger” plan to cut carbon emissions and suggested that should include homes in the PRS.
Shadow business secretary Ed Miliband commented: “It appears there is almost nothing for the people who rent the 8.5 million homes in the social rented sector and private rented sector, which has the worst energy efficiency standards. That means one-third of people are left out.”
But ARLA Propertymark has welcomed the scheme, confirming that landlords will be able to apply for a grant.
From September, homeowners and landlords can apply for vouchers to help to fund energy-saving home improvements, an amount which the chancellor estimates will cover up to two-thirds of costs per household.
David Cox, chief executive, ARLA Propertymark, commented: “Since the withdrawal of LESA [Landlords Energy Saving Allowance], we’ve been calling for a simple grant scheme to help private homeowners and landlords make their properties more energy efficient.
“The announcement is a big step forward to ensure that they can take the necessary steps to do this and ultimately create a greener property sector in the UK.”
The way a residential building is constructed, insulated, heated, ventilated and the type of fuel used, all contribute to its carbon emissions, and can now seriously impact on the cost of running the property and even its value.
Buy-to-let landlords could reap significant competitive advantages by shifting to a ‘green’ model of potentially adding value to a home, and so many will welcome this new scheme.
Mary-Anne Bowring, creator of automated letting platform, PlanetRent, pointed out that the UK’s housing stock is some of the oldest in Europe.
She said: “This is not just bad for the environment but bad for our health too, with too many properties suffering from problems with damp and cold.
“It is important the government's voucher scheme covers renters, especially as homes in the private rented sector tend to be older.”
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Ms Bowring says:
"homes in the private rented sector tend to be older.”
I disagree. Looking on Rightmove for properties to rent in Maldon, Essex, 10 seem to be 1980s or newer, and only 3 look older that 100 years. Maldon has a broad mixture of housing stock, some Georgian and some brand new, and so would be a representative location.
English Housing Survey quotes this ( PRS homes 'tend' to be older properties )
Surely it's the occupiers ( tenants) who will benefit from such insulation? It's unlikely to be totally cost free for landlords and will be unlikely to affect the price realised on selling.
Where the Landlords pay the utility costs such as on HMO's any help with insulation must be a bonus. I shall certainly investigate further.
The red tape involved and bull s**t will be a nightmare, it will end up just being a total waste of time to even apply.
All through Lockdown, everyone I spoke with seemed to share my Main concern, -
When will I be able to get my loft insulated !
Personally if it's run correctly and being a scheme involving HM gov that's always s question then it's not the worst idea. I'm more than happy to contribute to new boilers etc for my tenants. I get a big discount on upgrading Windows, heating etc they get a warmer more efficient house. Sounds ideal to me
The last time I looked into a grant towards a new boiler the contribution that I was asked to make was more than it cost me to buy a boiler and pay my plumber to fit it, needless to say I didn't bother with the grant.
Will help some address poor EPC ratings as the bar slowly rises.
I completely agree that energy efficiency standards are set to rise.
Why not combine insulation with renewable heat via a heat pump, such as air source heat pump. That should bump up the EPC by a notch or two. And RHI funding should put the up front cost at no more than a new oil boiler.
It would be far better if grants were to achieve EPC C status for all residential housing stock.
In a year or no more letting of EPC E status properties will be allowed.
Many tenants will be evicted if LL are unable to achieve D status.
Why not just have the Govt bring EVERY residential property up to at least EPC C status?
If possible try for A status.
It would create millions of jobs to achieve this with the UK residential housing stock.
So rather than paying for furloughing there would be a lot of productive activity from which Govt would receive tax and NI
It might even work out cost neutral.
I'm still renting a property with an F rating, as it it would cost at least
£14k to get it up to an E I got an exception last yr, tenants are happy in there 3 beds and paying less than £500 per month, I paid £13.5 k and spent less than £7k renovating it 25 yrs ago, so every one happy.
I went for loft insulation a few years back and because my loft had been boarded over I either removed it or they would not install it. I said thanks but no thanks as it would have cost more to remove it all than the £145 I paid to insulate it myself.
Andrew T and me are on the same page.
@andrewtownshend
The problem with exemptions is you are required to repeatedly apply every so often.
Will such properties always be exempted?
I'm not so sure which is why I would never invest in one.
I take what you are saying Paul but the price I paid for it all those yrs ago and the money I have earn from it, and continue to earn from it I really don't care if the time comes when I can no longer rent it I will just put it into an auction and take what ever I can get.
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