Grants available for homes improvements & energy efficiency 31 August 2007 at 11:48AM edited 9 June 2010 at 4:14PM in In my home (includes DIY) MoneySaving 332 replies 242.1K views

Former_MSE_Wendy

This thread is to discuss Grant Grabbing for your home article

To discuss or ask a question - click reply

MothballsWallet

I've just asked for more info through the EnergySavingTrust website - let's see if they send it this time... (I asked for some before a few months ago and it never arrived.)

Slightly OT perhaps, but their "commit to reduce by 20%" section's a bit confusing - it talks about "preventing climate change" - I thought the climate scientists and environmental evangelists were saying that climate change was happening now.

roodkid

A word of caution:

It pays to do your homework before applying for home improvement grants, esp under the sustainable/eco-friendly banner. At present the maximum amount you can reclaim across all technologies is a paltry £2500 per home. The sting is double-edged; eco technology does not come cheap...at the moment.

Secondly, you can only qualify for the grant if you used a BRE certified supplier AND installer. I am a property developer and I know a lot of these technologies are easy to install (DIY level), some are more difficult, but not beyond the capabilities of most competent builders. I can save well in excess of £2500 just by using my own local builder. The more technologies you are putting in place, the greater the savings.

It therefore pays to get some proper quotes locally to compare with the approved 'big boys' before rushing out to install the latest rainwater harvesting system or solar collectors et al. It's the labour costs that'll sting you!

Tobyjug_2

My son lives on his own in a council house on a run down estate. He works hard but is on a low income. He has asked the council for help with the cost of a fence. He has no security or privacy and the kids on the street run riot on his garden. As you can guess the council will not help him, is there a grant out there that would help pay for fencing.

autismmum

each council usually is afiliated to the safer neighbourhood thing, in our area the environmental health and housing section of the council do have a duty of care to its tennants to provide the security of fences,
if he contacts the council again and mentions the LOCAL GOVERNMENT OMBUDSMAN and threatens to complain ( the councils watchdog) he will definetly get somewhere!!
so try enviro health housing dept,
then ask for council leaders name ( he wont get through)
then leave a message that he will now contact local gov ombuds,
and its easy to complain to them on the web,
they will then contact the council... hey presto he will have a fence !! please try it

Tobyjug_2

Thanks autismum
Tried council and they say their policy is to repair fencing only, they do not provide or erect fencing and the Ombudsman cannot enforce a policy that does not exist.

smokenfluff

Hi, I'm new to this website and forum. Eeeeek!!!
Is there anyone out there who can offer me some advice for a friend of mine. Shes a recently divorced mum to 5 children aged bettween 13 - 21 years. Her ex-husband never made any repairs to the house in the 13 years they lived there. The courts made sure husband carried on paying the mortgage until the children are 16/18 and in work. Then it will be sold. Ive helped her apply for a warm front grant to repair/replace central heating and shes also applying to her local council for repairs to the house. Her electric bill is currently £47 per week!!! Obviously the house needs re-wiring as to have to many appliances running at once causes the fuses to blow. The house really is in a dire state. Broken doors to the rooms and the kitchen is hanging by a thread. What else can she apply for on the council grant form. Has anyone else gone through a similar situation. Id really appreciate any help or advice.
Many thanks for reading.:T

feesh

I've just found out about a couple of grants from our LA (Dacorum Borough Council) which I was knocked sideways by! I wasn't expecting to be eligible for any grants as I have worked for a Council before and I work in the energy efficiency/renewables field and thought I knew about all of them!

Basically, Mr Feesh rang the Conservation Officer to check what sort of windows would be acceptable at the back of our house (we need our rear sash windows double glazing and we live in a Conservation Area).

The Conservation Officer said that grants were available for up to 20% of the cost of such works.

He sent through an info pack which arrived last night, and the grant is applicable to anything which helps to preserve the condition of the building, or restore/improve the outward appearance. It specifically mentions damp courses, which is one of the things we are also planning on getting done.

It is mainly aimed at listed buildings, but according to the Conservation Officer our measly and VERY ordinary little 2-up 2-down terrace will be eligible (I got the impression they were itching to give the money away before the end of their financial year).

We were about to fork out £3k on new windows and just under £1k on the damp problem, and we suddenly find we can claim 20% back from the Council! What a result! And we can use whichever supplier we want - we just have to send in 2 competitive quotes as proof that we shopped around.

ironwolf_2

Hi there. With regards to help with energy arrears (ie gas/elec debt) it is a little known fact that you can make an application through severn trent's trust fund(provided you pay them for water bills) to pay off gas/elec debt if you are not with a gas/elec supplier who offers a specific trust fund

hope this is useful

nikki.paul

Hi hope I have posted this in the right place.

I have a son who suffers from bladder problems and wets the bed at least 3 times a night. He currently receives middle rate care DLA. We own our own home and both me and my husband work full time. Is there any grant I may be able to get to help me install central heating as winter it is very unpleasant for my son. We have just saved up and got our windows done and it would take us at least another 3 years to save for central heating. I have had warm front round but because my son does not hold a tenancy agreement and we work we only qualify for £2000 and they have told us it would cost £6000 to install ( No I do not live in a castle just a three bed house)So would still have to find £4000.
I can not take out a loan as I have only just managed to get out of thousands of pounds worth of debt (With a lot of help from this website) and am classed as a bad risk, leaving me open to only the shark credit companies. (And that lesson has been well and truly learnt.

Thanks
Nikki

Marga_3

CAN ANYONE TELL ME WHETHER THERE ARE GRANTS AVAILABLE FOR ESSENTIAL HOUSE REPAIRS?
I HAVE JUST MADE A CLAIM FOR JOB SEEKERS ALLOWANCE - PREVIOUSLY I HAVE BEEN A FULL-TIME CARER FOR QUITE A WHILE - LIVING OFF A SMALL AMOUNT OF SAVINGS ETC., BUT NOT CLAIMING ANYTHING IN BENEFITS - RIGHT UP TO THE START OF THIS YEAR WHEN I PUT IN FOR JOB SEEKERS.

I DON'T HAVE ANY SAVINGS ETC., BUT NEED TO GET SOME ESSENTIAL REPAIRS DONE TO MY PROPERTY. THERE SEEMS TO BE A LEAK IN THE ROOF SOMEWHERE - POSSIBLY MISSING SLATES? DURING THE RECENT RAINY / SEVERE WEATHER THIS HAS RESULTED IN PART OF THE CEILING COMING DOWN IN THE KITCHEN. IT HAS PROBABLY BEEN GOING ON FOR A WHILE AND HAS ALSO AFFECTED THE WOODEN WINDOW FRAMES.

I AM NOT COVERED BY INSURANCE BECAUSE THE INSURANCE PEOPLE WOULD NOT COVER ME WHEN I APPLIED AS THE ROOF WAS NOT SOUND - SO IT IS A BIG PROBLEM. ANY IDEAS FROM ANYONE OUT THERE WOULD BE VERY MUCH APPRECIATED. THANK YOU FOR READING THIS.