Landlords have welcomed £7,600 government grants for homeowners to install double glazing, boilers and insulation, to boost energy efficiency measures after the take-up of the Green Deal loan scheme.
Whitehall chiefs agreed that a £120 million cash pot would be offered to homeowners from June to carry out energy-saving improvements recommended by Energy Performance Certificates or Green Deal Assessments.
Despite the Green Deal being heralded as a revolution in energy efficiency, only 2,000 households had originally signed up to the loan scheme due to perceived high interest on loans.
But now consumers will be offered £1,000 to install two approved measures including condensers, boilers and double glazing, and a further £500 if their property has been bought within the last 12 months.
Richard Lambert, chief executive officer at the National Landlords Association, welcomed the decision from the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC).
“This is a clear commitment from the Government that it will support landlords in making energy efficiency improvements to their properties in the wake of the removal of the ECO subsidy,” he said.
“Landlords are the only people who have a legal requirement to improve the energy efficiency of their properties.
“The Green Deal was specifically designed to enable them to meet that expectation, and it’s reassuring that the package of incentives announced today provides the extra support which may be needed to fund the more expensive measures which the Green Deal alone won’t cover.
We’re delighted that government have taken our points on board, especially in recognising the need for additional support for properties which need solid wall insulation, a loan for which would almost always break the Golden Rule.”
Householders can also qualify for up to £6,000 to cover up to 75 per cent of the cost of installing solid wall insulation, and can claim a £100 refund for the cost of the initial Green Deal Assessment, which can cost up to £150.
The Government is already running a £125m cashback scheme intended to encourage uptake of the Green Deal, but only about £4m has so far been paid out.