News and Blog
What is ECO4?
The Energy Company Obligation (ECO) is a government-backed initiative launched in 2013 aimed at improving energy efficiency in homes across the UK. The scheme provides funding for the installation of energy-efficiency measures in millions of homes across the country. These improvements include new heating systems, insulation, and upgraded glazing. ECO adopts both a fabric-first approach and a whole-house retrofit strategy to deliver a more complete upgrade of each home. The latest iteration of this scheme, ECO4, commenced in 2022 and is set to run until March 2026.
The Impact of ECO4
ECO4 is poised to make a significant impact on several fronts:
Reducing fossil fuel reliance
By funding energy-efficient upgrades, ECO4 helps households lower their dependency on fossil fuels, which in turn reduces the nation’s overall carbon footprint.
Combatting fuel poverty
Low-income households can receive funding for a number of energy upgrades, which will help reduce their energy bills. For instance, the scheme makes it possible for households to install insulation either for free or at a heavily discounted rate. Once installed, this insulation will help the home retain its heat, lessening the burden on the heating system and saving the household money on their heating bill. Over time, these savings can substantially alleviate financial pressures on vulnerable families.
Achieving carbon reduction goals
ECO4 supports the UK government’s ambitious target of reaching Net Zero carbon emissions by 2050. The millions of upgrades being installed across the country could lead to significant changes. New Minimum Requirements (MR) require band D and E homes to be elevated to at least a band C, and band F and G homes to at least a band D. Given that domestic properties are a major contributor to carbon emissions, these upgrades are crucial in driving national progress toward energy targets. (Source)
Uk house price fall
Tuesday 8th November 2022
Jasper Jolly @jjpjolly Mon 7 Nov 2022 09.53 GMT UK house prices fell by 0.4% in October after Liz Truss’s mini-budget drove a sudden rise in mortgage rates, the lender Halifax said. The decline in the average price to £292,598 was the third in the past four months and the steepest since February 2021. The annual rate of growth in house prices slowed to 8.3% in October from 9.8% in September. The mini-budget on 23 September, under the previous prime minister, Liz Truss, and her chancellor, Kwasi Kwarteng, caused financial market turmoil that pushed up borrowing costs and eventually resulted in Truss’s replacement by Rishi Sunak. Sunak and his chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, responded to the chaos by signalling tax rises and government spending cuts are likely,…
House prices will soon fall
Monday 24th October 2022
View in browser Monday October 24 2022 The mortgage rate is more important than the price By Isabelle Fraser, ASSOCIATE MONEY EDITOR House prices will soon fall – in fact, they may have already begun to dip. But due to how data is collected, you won't see the evidence in indices for some time. That, combined with rising mortgage rates which have priced out many buyers, means that property hunters are deserting the market in huge numbers. Website Zoopla has found that since the mini-Budget last month, demand has collapsed to below 2019 levels. Even if property values do become more affordable, borrowing costs will limit what would-be buyers can spend. But they may have a window to…
Part L & SAP calculations
Tuesday 18th October 2022
What are SAP calculations? SAP calculations (Standard Assessment Procedure – sometimes referred to as SAP ratings) are a measure of the energy use and carbon emissions of new dwellings. They are a government-defined process in accordance with Part L of the Building Regulations.
Extensions, Conversions & Renovations
Tuesday 18th October 2022
Planning an Extension or Conservatory? If you’re planning on adding some space to your home you need to be aware of the latest Building Regulations. Since April 2007 any extension to your home, including conservatories exceeding 30m2 require their own SAP Calculation. If you’re keen to have large areas of glazing you may be put off by the restrictions in Part L of the Building Regulations, but fear not! We can produce a number of reports that demonstrate compliance. Renovating or Changing the Use of a property? When a property under goes a material change of use it must also have its own SAP Calculation or a Heat Loss Calculationas part of the Building Regulation submission. On completion it may also require an…
Redbridge Green Grant
Thursday 18th August 2022
Redbridge go green.
Redbridge Go Green Grant The Home Upgrade Grant sits within the Green Homes Grants Scheme and can provide grants of up to £25,000 per home. The amount of funding will depend on the outcome of a property survey and the current Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating. Funding is only available for properties that are 'off gas' grid, for example, use electric, oil, LPG or coal to heat the property and do not have a gas-fired central heating system (gas boiler) installed. Home Upgrade Grants are available to homeowners and landlords in the borough to help improve the energy efficiency of their homes, through the installation of low-carbon heating improvements. This could help save up to £600 a year on energy bills…
Landlords warn ‘wave’ of evictions to come before rental reforms hit
Tuesday 5th July 2022
Melissa Lawford
Tenants could be forced out before new rules banning Section 21 'no-fault' evictions are brought in 4 July 2022 • 10:00am landlord eviction Business Briefing newsletter Our daily digest packed with news and analysis Sign up Plans to abolish “no-fault” evictions could lead to hundreds of thousands of landlords removing tenants before it becomes illegal, experts have warned. The Government has said it will abolish Section 21 rules and fixed-term tenancies as part of the Private Rental Sector Reform white paper. However, landlords said this would lead to a wave of nearly 300,000 evictions before new rules are enforced, potentially leaving tenants homeless. Landlords have already started reassessing their business models following housing secretary Michael Gove’s statement, even though the new laws are not in force. Chris Daniel, of…
No fault evictions to be banned
Thursday 16th June 2022
Renting: No-fault evictions to be banned in England By Eleanor Lawrie BBC News Published7 hours ago Landlords are to be prevented from evicting tenants in England without giving a reason, under proposals published in a government White Paper. The Renters Reform Bill will also end blanket bans on benefit claimants or families with children - and landlords must consider requests to allow pets. Housing charity Shelter called it a "game-changer". But landlords associations said the government must ensure the changes would not worsen the housing crisis. Of all the private renters leaving accommodation in 2019 and 2020, 8% had been asked to go by their landlord, the Department for Levelling up said. No-fault evictions are already banned in Scotland for tenancies starting after 1 December 2017 The Welsh government says…
https://www.greenenergyvoucher.com/advertorial-4-scotland/form//?
Thursday 16th June 2022
Scotland Residents May Now Be Eligible For A £1,500 Spray Foam Installation Discount Written By Green Energy Voucher Save Money On Your Bills With A Spray Foam Installation Discount – Check Your Eligibility Spray Foam Insulation is becoming an increasingly popular way for Scotland residents to reduce their energy bills and keep their homes warmer in the winter and cooler in summer. As well as spray foam being a great way to reduce your bills that is affordable, your home will see the benefits all year round. This revolutionary product has many benefits that can help you: Reduce Your Energy Bills Keeps Your Home Warm In The Winter and Cool In The Summer Reduce external noise Maintenance Free Pest deterrent Select Your Home…
Buyers will need a 37pc pay rise by next year to secure lending
Saturday 7th May 2022
Buyers will need a 37pc pay rise by next year to secure lending
Buyers will need a 37pc pay rise by next year to secure lending on the average home as rising interest rates price out borrowers. Remortgaging will also become unaffordable, experts have warned, leading to forced sales and falls in house prices. Lewis Shaw of Shaw Financial Services, a mortgage broker, said: “A lot of people are going to get absolutely clattered when their fixed-rate mortgages come to an end and there is a big risk that house prices will fall. An awful lot of people will suffer from rate shock.” Rising interest rates will make it more difficult to get a loan, with the Bank Rate expected to reach 3pc in 2023. This would mean average buyers need to earn another £14,800 a…