Warm welcome for eco-grants given by lettings trade body

The National Residential Landlords Association is giving the thumbs up to the government’s Green Homes Grant, which it claims has taken on board many of its suggestions.

Announced in the Chancellor’s Summer Statement last month, the scheme will see the Treasury provide at least two-thirds of the cost of improvement work for homeowners and landlords to make their properties more energy efficient. 

A cap of up to £5,000 per household will apply, which increases to £10,000 for low income households in the owner occupied sector.

The detailed plans published adopt the recommendations made by the National Residential Landlords Association including that:

- tradespeople used for the scheme must be registered for TrustMark or Microgeneration Certification Scheme accreditation;

- the range of measures covered by the scheme should be comprehensive. Government plans say that energy efficiency works should include some element of insulation or low carbon heat installation to qualify for the subsidy which can then also include a range of other measures such as draught proofing, replacing windows or doors and installing heat controls;

- residential rental properties should be achieving an Energy Performance Certificate rating of D or better by 2025 and C or better by 2030.

“[The] announcement is good news for landlords and tenants, and demonstrates what can be achieved when the government works constructively with landlords” explains Ben Beadle, NRLA chief executive.

“Energy efficient homes are clearly important to improving health, reducing household bills and meeting the government’s ambitions around carbon reduction. We welcome the clarity around what measures will be included as part of the Green Homes Grant scheme and encourage landlords to make use of this important initiative when it opens.”