If you are having construction work done on your property, it is the perfect time to reassess the services in your house.
Is Gas still the best option?
The vast majority of houses in England are heated by gas boilers at present. This is set to change in the future as gas use is phased out for more renewable alternatives, such as heat pumps. It is worth thinking if gas is still your best option.
If you do have to stretch to installing a new boiler, you might want to check out the whether you can apply for a government grant. The governments Boiler Scrappage Scheme has now been discontinued. Although some of the suppliers are still offering their own discounts on replacement boilers to encourage you to buy.
If you are eligible for any benefits from the government and your boiler is more than 7 years old, you might qualify for the Energy Companies Obligation (ECO) Scheme. This is a scheme that requires the largest energy suppliers to improve energy efficiency in UK homes while also tackling fuel poverty.
There is a big list of improvements that energy companies can supply. Often companies focus on installing cavity wall insulation and loft insulation to make homes more energy efficient, but you can get support replacing an old, inefficient boiler or heating system. Your replacement boiler could potentially be subsidised or even free.
But if you want to benefit from the current scheme ECO3 you will need to get a move on, as it only runs until 31st March 2022. The rules will then change for the last stage of the scheme, ECO4 which will run until 31st March 2026. ECO4 is expected to be concentrate on improving the thermal efficiency of housing, so you need to get a move on!
We have got use to the idea of hire purchase schemes for cars and for large household items such as sofas and washing machines, but you can now even do it for boilers! There are companies that allow you to spread out the cost of a new boiler installation, doing away with the problem of the upfront installation cost. Instead you make monthly payment, which pays off the cost of the boiler, the installation and – depending on your contract – any repair, maintenance and servicing costs for the duration of your contract. When you’ve finished paying, the boiler is yours.
However you decide to fund your new boiler, remember that it is just as important to get the right boiler for your needs.
