Warning over home improvements

A Midlands energy expert has warned that householders who want to carry out improvements to their home may have to pay an extra 10 per cent to help cut the nation’s carbon footprint.

Ron Fox, of Noreus Ltd in Stafford, said residents may not be allowed to carry out projects such as a new conservatory, replacing a broken boiler or installing new windows unless they pay for loft or wall insulation which could add hundreds of pounds to their final bill.

The new rules, which are under consultation, have been drawn up by the Department for Communities and Local Government, who say the aim is to help the UK hit its green target.

Before people can replace a boiler or build a conservatory they might have to notify their council, which can require them to do other work as a condition of receiving approval.

This could include loft or cavity wall insulation, hot water cylinder insulation and draught proofing.

Ron added that if people did not have the money they would have to borrow it under the Coalition’s Green Deal – and pay it back for years through an extra charge on their energy bills.

However he warned: “I am worried that this might persuade some residents to go to cowboy builders whose work might put householders at risk.”

A spokesman for the Communities and Local Government department said the measures would be ‘mandatory’ unless the home already had a high energy performance rating.

This follows on from the Government’s Green Deal, which is a £14billion scheme backed by the private sector to insulate all Britain’s homes within 20 years.

From this October householders can take out voluntarily loans to introduce energy-saving moves by borrowing up to £10,000 and paying it back through their energy bills for up to 25 years.

The Government says home owners will recoup the entire cost of the work through reductions in their energy bills.

But both independent analysts and the Coalition’s own advisers, the Committee on Climate Change, have predicted it would receive a lukewarm response from the public.

Now people will, in effect, be compelled to take part with the new rules beginning from April 2014.

Tory MP Tim Yeo, chairman of the Energy and Climate Change Committee, said: “If people are spending their own money on a new boiler, compulsory intrusion is not appropriate.

“Encouragement or information about the scheme is justified, but it should not be made an absolute requirement to have builders inside your home.”

Ron Fox said: “The irony of all this is that having a new boiler is already a huge improvement in energy efficiency.”

Liz Lainé, energy expert at Consumer Focus, said although better insulation could cut hundreds of pounds a year off energy bills green consumers would prefer to see council tax or stamp duty rebates for households who take action.

“Consumers who have to install a new boiler at short notice because their old one broke down are unlikely to welcome being told to make further substantial improvements,” she added.

Richard Lloyd, Which? executive director, said: “We think it’s unacceptable effectively to require people to take on Green Deal finance to comply with Government regulation.”

For more details about energy saving ring Ron Fox on 01782 756995.