Private landlords have been excluded from a new government Welsh government initiative that funds retrofit advice in residential properties and hands out interest-free loans for energy efficiency improvements.

The Green Homes Wales pilot scheme – run in conjunction with the Development Bank of Wales - aims to help households across Wales to implement energy and carbon-saving measures, lower energy consumption and energy bills.

To qualify, homeowners must live in Wales and own the property which must be their primary residence, however, the government website says: “Landlords cannot currently apply to this scheme but should visit Climate Action Wales for further advice.”

A spokesman tells LandlordZONE that the pilot scheme is testing how an incentivised offer works in the market but says: “Our ambition is that after this test and learn phase, we will be able to open up the scheme to incorporate an offer that is aligned to the needs of private landlords.”

She adds that the Welsh Government’s Leasing Scheme Wales has grant funding available to increase the EPC rating of poorly performing properties.

Green home

Under Green Homes Wales, households will get fully funded access to a retrofit coordinator to create a detailed home assessment as well as interest-free loans ranging from £1,000 to £25,000 for green equipment such as a heat pump, with repayment terms up to 10 years and a six-month upfront repayment holiday. They can also get support to access existing funding schemes such as the Boiler Upgrade Scheme.

Jayne Bryant (pictured) MS, Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government, says the launch reaffirms its clear commitment to the decarbonisation of Welsh homes with a broader aim to ensure that everyone in Wales live in homes that are energy-efficient, low-carbon and cheaper to run.  

She adds: “This is an exciting step to help homeowners make green and energy-efficient choices to improve the long-term quality and comfort of their home.”