Warm Front
Warm front provide a wide range of grants associated with energy efficiency and insulation, many of these may be easily applied to rental properties. This goes some way to offset the lack of incentive for the landlord to activley work to improve the energy efficiency of their properties. With the tenant paying the energy bill, there is no direct return to the landlord where they invest money in energy saving measures.
The following measures are usually available where your tenant has some form of benefit. Within the Warm Front informnation, the reference is normally to the householder, not the owner.
The simplest and perhaps the most beneficial one to start with is Loft Insulation. This is readily available and effectively free. The householder can apply online www.warmfront.co.uk/apply.htm or by phone 0800 316 2805.
Along the same lines and relatively easy to apply for and gain is cavity wall insulation and hot water tank insulation. The grants are modest, but the returns for the householder is good.
The more costly grants are less easy to obtain. While Homefront promote the option of a replacement or new central heating boiler or complete system, the Tenant has to satisfy certain conditions, the key one for the relationship between tenant and landlord is that the Tenant:
- must have a 7 year tenancy.
- must be responsible for the central heating / heating / boiler (with proof)
Realistically this means most tenancies do not comply and cannot apply for grants associated with boilers and central heating. Even if the above conditions have been met, there are further exclusions.
Overall, the warm front scheme where it benefits the tenant / landlord realistically only goes as far as providing additional insulation and 2 free lightbulbs.
Warm Front is administered by Eaga.  |
