Landlords eligible for government boiler scrappage scheme

The boiler scrappage scheme was announced in the pre-Budget report last month.  According to the government there are about 3.5 million homes in England with the least efficient types of boilers and a new boiler can save more than £200 a year.  The scheme will help households cut their energy bills, reduce CO2 emissions and support thousands of jobs.  Up to 125,000 households in England could benefit from the scheme, which is costing the government £50m.

People who own their homes or landlords who rent homes are eligible, but social landlords, housing associations and boiler installers are not.

How do I do it?

To qualify, households need to have a working G-rated boiler.  It is likely to be G-rated if it is more than 15 years old and gas fired.  A permanent pilot light is also a good indicator as to whether a gas boiler is G-rated.  If the boiler is oil-fired, then this is likely to be eligible if it is more than 25 years old.

Householders aged under 60 can only apply if the boiler is the main boiler used to heat the home and is in working order.  For those aged over 60, the device does not have to work.

Once you have found out if your boiler qualifies for replacement, the next step is to arrange a quote for a new one from a qualified installer. This could cost anything between £2,000 and £3,000.

You then need to provide the Energy Saving Trust (EST) with details of your old boiler and the installer you have chosen fit the new one.  The EST will also want confirmation the installer has actually visited your home and provided you with a proper quote for the work.

Assuming all that is in order, a voucher worth £400 will be issued from 18 January.  This will be refunded once the work has been done and the EST has received both the invoice for the work and the voucher.  It is valid for 12 weeks.  The householder pays the bill in full to the installer and then claims the £400 back from the EST.  The £400 rebate should take no more than 25 working days of the paperwork reaching the Trust.

Energy companies are expected to use the scheme to drum up business.  British Gas, the biggest installer of boilers in the UK, is planning to match the government’s £400 discount.

Other firms are offering similar savings too.  The government says the scheme will help to safeguard jobs across the industry which, it says, employs about 130,000 installers.  It has also estimated that replacing 125,000 G-rated boilers will save about 140,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions a year.

How to apply

Check your boiler is G-rated - the age or a permanent pilot light tend to indicate if it is

Ensure it is in working order and is the main boiler to heat the house

Shop around and arrange a quote for a new boiler from a qualified installer

Contact the Energy Saving Trust with details and receive a voucher before the work starts

Pay the installer in full, then send the receipt and the voucher to be refunded £400. Some suppliers will also offer £400 off the price.