Hot Stuff! Top agent welcomes Sunak’s eco U-turn

A leading agent has welcomed the dramatic U turn by the government on how it is to meet its net zero targets.

Under revised plans, the government will:

- Scrap policies to force landlords to upgrade the energy efficiency of their properties, but instead continue to encourage households to do so where they can;

- Raise the Boiler Upgrade Grant by 50% to £7,500 to help households who want to replace their gas boilers with a low-carbon alternative like a heat pump;

- Delay the ban on installing oil and LPG boilers, and new coal heating, for off-gas-grid homes to 2035, instead of phasing them out from 2026. Many of these homes are not suitable for heat pumps, so this ensures homeowners are not having to spend around £10-15,000 on upgrading their homes in just three years’ time;

- Set an exemption to the phase out of fossil fuel boilers, including gas, in 2035, so that households who will most struggle to make the switch to heat pumps or other low-carbon alternatives won’t have to do so. This is expected to cover about a fifth of homes, including off-gas-grid homes - those that will need expensive retrofitting or a very large electricity connection;

- Rule out policy ideas that would require people to share cars, eat less meat and dairy, be taxed to discourage their flying, or have seven bins to hit recycling targets – removing worrying proposals that would interfere in the way people live their lives;

- Move back the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by five years, so all sales of new cars from 2035 will be zero emission. This will enable families to wait to take advantage of falling prices over the coming decade if they wish to.

Michael Cook, Group Managing Director of Leaders Romans Group, says it’s good news.

He comments: “Whilst we recognise all individuals and industries must think differently and act differently to reduce their carbon footprint and the impact of climate change, we welcome this u-turn by the government.

“Essentially, asking homeowners and landlords to dig deeper into their pockets at this difficult time is unwanted pressure. Landlords in particular have been continually hit with higher taxation and legislation, coupled with inflationary pressure and higher interest rates, leading many to conclude that its is time to sell. This supply restriction has seen rents go up at a greater rate than in living memory. 

“Therefore reducing capital outlay by reversing out of policies like this is in everyone’s interest in the short to medium turn.”