As a landlord in the UK, navigating the responsibilities and costs of maintaining rental properties can be demanding. However, there’s a silver lining: various grants are available to ease some of these financial burdens while ensuring your tenants enjoy safe and comfortable living spaces. Our Landlord Insurance team at Lansdown have summarised the financial assistance that you may be eligible for.
As you’ll find, many of these grants not only aid you with effective property maintenance but also ensure tenants have a safe and comfortable living environment. Landlords can enhance their properties’ energy efficiency, accessibility, and appeal while ensuring the well-being of their tenants.
What Grants are available to Landlords in the UK?
Let’s delve into the main grants accessible to landlords, including the eligibility criteria and application procedures.
Disabled Facilities Grants
These grants offer financial assistance to homeowners, including landlords with disabled tenants, enabling essential modifications such as ramps, widened doorways, and accessible bathrooms to promote accessibility and independent living. Landlords can receive a grant without their income and savings being considered.
Who is eligible for Disabled Facilities Grants?
To be eligible for the Disabled Facilities Grant, the occupant of the property must have a disability and plan to reside there for the grant’s designated period, typically five years, though this timeframe may vary, particularly in cases of terminal illnesses. The council might also require the property to be leased to another disabled individual if the current tenant relocates within five years.
The application can be submitted by the property owner, tenant, or landlord.
How can I apply for Disabled Facilities Grants?
Contact your local council for assessment and application procedures.
Additional Support from Local Councils
Your local council may offer additional grants and support for landlords. Contact them for more information on available assistance.
The Energy Company Obligation (ECO) Scheme
The Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme in Great Britain targets fuel poverty and carbon emissions reduction by facilitating energy-efficient upgrades to homes. Funded by major energy suppliers, this scheme is accessible to low-income households, including landlords and tenants who meet the eligibility criteria. Options may include boiler replacements, first-time central heating grants, and various home insulation for attics, interior and exterior walls, and flooring.
Who is eligible for the ECO scheme?
Both landlords and tenants can apply for the ECO scheme if the property requires energy efficiency enhancements. Applicants must also meet specific income criteria, typically prioritising those in low-income households or properties with poor insulation.
How can I apply for the ECO scheme?
To apply, contact your local council to find out if they’re participating or reach out to an energy supplier directly.
To access the contact information of suppliers participating in the program, please refer to the Ofgem website.
Great British Insulation Scheme
Formerly known as ECO+, the Great British Insulation Scheme is a government energy efficiency program managed by Ofgem. It focuses on enhancing the energy conservation of homes across Great Britain, particularly through individual insulation measures.
Who is eligible for the Great British Insulation Scheme?
Homeowners, tenants, and landlords aiming to improve the energy efficiency of their properties are eligible. Specific criteria based on the property’s EPC rating of ‘D’ to ‘G’ and Council Tax band ‘A’ to ‘D’ apply.
How can I apply for the Great British Insulation Scheme?
Apply through the government’s website, and if your energy supplier is accepting new applications, they will schedule a property assessment.
Electric Vehicle Chargepoint and Infrastructure Grants
These grants support landlords in installing multiple EV chargepoints and necessary infrastructure, contributing to sustainable transport solutions and enhancing property appeal. You must intend to use it for a property with multiple residences, such as a block of flats.
Who is eligible for electric vehicle grants?
Landlords owning or managing residential properties in the UK can apply. The grant applies to existing properties and requires off-street parking spaces accessible to tenants privately designated, and clearly defined. This parking space doesn’t need to be part of the property; however, you will need to own this space or have legal rights to it.
How can I apply for electric vehicle grants?
Start the application process through the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) grant portal and find an approved chargepoint installer.
Upon completion, your installer will submit your claim through the portal. They will provide OZEV with information regarding the chargepoint, including installation photographs and an invoice.
If OZEV approves your claim, the grant will be transferred to your chargepoint installer, who will then deduct the granted sum from your invoice.
Boiler Upgrade Scheme
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme presents a significant opportunity for landlords in England and Wales to receive assistance in replacing existing fossil fuel heating systems with more sustainable options like heat pumps or biomass boilers. Grants under this scheme include:
- £7,500 towards an air source heat pump
- £7,500 towards a ground source heat pump (including water source heat pumps and those on shared ground loops)
- £5,000 towards a biomass boiler
Who is eligible for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme?
Landlords who own properties in England and Wales, including those used for business purposes, can apply for this scheme. The property must have had the new heating system installed or planned for installation on or after 1 April 2022, replacing existing fossil fuel heating systems like oil, gas, or electric.
Ensure your property has a valid Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) with no outstanding recommendations for loft or cavity wall insulation.
How can I apply for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme?
To apply, landlords should contact certified MCS installers who will verify eligibility and provide estimates for the required work. These professionals will handle the application process through the Ofgem website on your behalf. Your installer must also commission and install the heat pump within 120 days of applying for the grant or it will not be eligible.
About Lansdown Insurance Brokers
Lansdown Insurance Brokers are specialists in Landlord Insurance, Block of Flats Insurance and Home Insurance. We can provide flexible policies to suit individual client needs and provide advice on what cover is needed. For more information call the team on 01242 524498.
Lansdown is part of the Benefact Group, a charity-owned, international family of financial services companies that gives all available profits to charity and good causes.