Energy Efficiency: how it affects private landlords

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Energy Efficiency how it affects private
landlords
David WeatherallPartnership Co-ordinator, Energy
Saving TrustSeptember 2006

• Why people are talking more and more about home
  energy efficiency
• Why landlords need to address energy efficiency,
  event though they dont pay the bills
• What are the main measures
• What incentives and grants are currently
  available
• Where to go for more information

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Where are we going?

• Energy Performance Certificates
• Linkage of wear and tear allowance to energy
  standards
• Additional Regulation???

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What are the main Energy Efficiency Measures?

• Cavity Wall Insulation
• Loft Insulation
• Condensing Boilers (now mandatory)
• Heating Controls
• Energy efficient appliances and lighting
• Double Glazing
• Solid wall insulation
• Renewable energy microgeneration technology

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Insulation

• Up to 33 per cent of the heat produced in your
  home is lost through the walls
• The Cavity Insulation Guarantee Agency provides
  independent 25 year guarantees for Cavity Wall
  Insulation fitted by registered installers.
• Average grant funded installation costs 120-260
• Payback in two years
• Loft insulation is an easy DIY job and should be
  done to a depth of 270mm.

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Heating

• If your boiler is over 15 years old it's probably
  time to replace it.  By law, new boilers must now
  be of the high-efficiency condensing type and
  will save more energy if combined with modern
  heating controls.
• Condensing boilers now mandatory
• Savings on the bill of between 190 and 240 a
  year
• Replacement boilers can be free under Warm Front
  programme

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Tax incentives for private landlords

• LESA Landlords Energy Saving Allowance - gives
  relief on capital expenditure up to 1,500 for
• Installations of loft and cavity wall insulation
• Solid wall insulation
• Draught proofing

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The Warm Front Programme

• Tenants apply for the grant
• Package of energy efficiency of heating measures
  up to a value of 2,700 or 4,000 if oil central
  heating involved
• Open to
• Householders aged over 60 and in receipt of
  benefit
• Householders with a child aged under 16 and in
  receipt of benefit
• Householders living with a disability on benefit
• See www.eaga.co.uk/grants

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Energy Suppliers Offers

• All major energy suppliers are obliged to help
  achieve targets for improving home energy
  efficiency.
• A range of offers that significantly reduce
  installation costs.
• Not usually available on central heating
• You can take up offers from any of the energy
  companies regardless of who supplies your gas and
  electricity.

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Local Authority Support

• A variety of grants and support depending on the
  authority might be dedicated EE grants targeted
  at older householders or relate to wider
  refurbishment schemes specifically for landlords.

• Example Kensington and Chelsea Improvement
  Grants
• Renovation Grant.
• Empty Property Grant.
• Conversion Grant.
• Keep Warm Grant.

Example Southwark Coldbuster Grant Grant
providerLondon Borough of Southwark Grant
nameCOLDBUSTERS heating and insulation grant for
up to GBP4000 End date31-Mar-2007 Grant
descriptionGrants of up to 4000 are available
to owner-occupiers and private tenants in receipt
of a means-tested benefit. Measures include
central heating, boiler replacements, upgrade to
heating controls, loft cavity wall insulation
and draught-proofing..
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Microgeneration Grants the Low Carbon Building
Programme

• DTI Programme, managed by the Energy Saving Trust
• Need to undertake a number of energy efficiency
  measures before you are eligible to apply for a
  Low Carbon Buildings grant.
• Funds measures including
• Solar photovoltaics
• Wind turbines
• Small hydro
• Solar thermal hot water
• Grant levels depend on technology installed
  never more than 50/30 of the total

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Where to go for more information

• Your local Energy Efficiency Advice Centre
• 0800 512 012
• www.est.org.uk/myhome
• www.landlords.org.uk

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Some things to think about (1)

• Energy efficiency can help increase the value of
  your property
• Particularly with EPCs coming in and rising fuel
  prices
• Energy efficiency costs less than you think
• Have you investigated all the grants that are
  available?

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Some things to think about (2)

• Are you a decent landlord with decent homes?
• Climate change is happening it affects us all.
  As a landlord, you have a greater ability to
  effect change that most of the population. Use
  that ability.