Government launches consultation on Warm Homes Fund to boost EPC upgrades

The government is urging industry bodies and landlords to provide evidence on funding options for energy-efficiency improvements.

A consultation on the Warm Homes Fund aims to explore how government finance could accelerate the rollout of domestic solar, batteries, clean heat, and other energy-efficiency measures.

The news comes as the government has announced all private rented properties will need to meet EPC C targets by 2030.

Upgrade costs for landlords

The government says the Warm Homes Fund will invest £5 million to help roll out low-carbon technologies by tackling barriers such as upfront costs.

The National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA) has previously warned that ministers cannot continue operating on the mistaken belief that landlords form a wealthy, uniform group able to absorb major upgrade costs.

The organisation chief executive Ben Beadle said: “We want all rental properties to be as energy efficient as possible.

“However, this isn’t going to happen without a serious plan to support the investments needed.

“Relying on the misguided belief that every landlord has limitless reserves to fall back on is not only wrong but will not get tenants any closer to seeing their homes made energy efficient.”

Access to grants

In the Warm Homes Fund call for evidence document, it shares that landlords want to be able to access grants to fund energy-efficiency improvements.

The document says: “Support is currently available to landlords to improve their properties, for example, for eligible landlords support will continue to be available through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme (BUS).

“Funding is also currently available for eligible private rented homes for the installation of a range of relevant measures through schemes including the Warm Homes: Local Grant.

“Throughout the recent consultation on improving the energy performance of privately rented homes, landlords indicated that they would welcome access to loans and highlighted factors that could make loans preferable to grants in some instances. First, some stakeholders indicated low awareness or understanding of grants.

“Second, they shared that grants are often based on tenant eligibility, but that is much easier for landlords to upgrade a property in between tenancies while it is vacant (making them ineligible for some grants).

“Evidence from the consultation and continued stakeholder engagement will be considered alongside responses to this call for evidence.”

The consultation is open until 1 June.