NRLA welcomes government Green Homes grant scheme

The NRLA are welcoming the news that the Government has accepted many of their recommendations about how the new Green Homes Grant scheme should work.

Announced in the Chancellor’s Summer Statement, the scheme will see the Government 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 (MCS) accreditation.
• The range of measures covered by the scheme should be comprehensive. The Government’s 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.

The Government has previously indicated that residential rental properties should be achieving an Energy Performance Certificate rating of D or better by 2025 and C or better by 2030.

Ben Beadle, Chief Executive for the NRLA said: “Today’s announcement is good news for landlords and tenants, and demonstrates what can be achieved when the Government works constructively with landlords.

“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.”