Green Homes Grants for landlords
Posted on 18th February 2021
The Green Homes Grant was announced at the end of September 2020 to help households save up to £600 a year on energy bills.
The government’s intention is to upgrade the nation’s buildings and improve the energy efficiency for 600,000 homes. It is hoped that the Grant will help landlords to exceed the energy efficiency requirements for the privately rented sector.
While there have been criticisms of the process and reportedly low numbers of vouchers have so far been issued, the Prime Minister has made a commitment to continue the scheme until March 2022. Rumours that the scheme could close for new applications on 5 April this year haven’t been confirmed but, to be sure, you should make your application before the end of March 2021.
How landlords can benefit
Residential landlords in England can apply for a voucher to help with up to two-thirds of the cost of renovating a rental property, or a maximum of £5,000, to make it more energy efficient. However, the Grant doesn’t apply to unoccupied new-build properties. While homeowners with low incomes can apply for a grant covering all of the renovation cost up to £10,000 this option isn’t available to landlords.
The requirement is that any improvements will save landlords or tenants money on energy bills. The Grant doesn’t have to be repaid and covers labour, materials, and VAT. The work must be completed, and vouchers redeemed, within three months and before 21 March 2022.
If you are about to let out a property for the first time or are ready to re-let a property, improving energy performance could help you to find the right tenant. That’s because more than four out of 10 tenants will take green credentials into account when they are searching for a new property.
What you can do with the Grant
You can use the Grant to complete 'primary’ work such as major insulation in the floors and walls of your property. You can also make 'secondary’ improvements to windows and doors, such as draught-proofing or double glazing.
You'll need to install at least one primary measure before you can use the Grant for any secondary improvements.
How to apply for the Green Homes Grant
Before you apply for the Grant you will need to confirm what needs to be done in your property. There’s a short questionnaire available to help you do this.
You will also need to find a registered person or company to complete the work and you’re advised to obtain three quotations. Your primary installer will be responsible for the work, although subcontracted work doesn’t have to be completed by Trustmark registered traders. However, it must meet publicly accessible standards (PAS) certification or microgeneration certification scheme (MCS) requirements.
When you have this information you can apply for the Grant online. You'll be asked to provide some details about yourself and any other property owners, and a quotation from the person you have chosen to complete the work. Once your application has been accepted and you are happy that your work has been fully completed, you can redeem your voucher.
If you would like advice about energy efficiency improvements for your rental property please get in touch.
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