Landlords could get longer to replace gas boilers in their rental homes if the government makes an expected announcement to allow their sale beyond 2035.
The i reports that it is set to ditch plans to ban new gas boilers by that date, despite pushing for more homes to switch to heat pumps.
The Conservatives had promised a total ban on all new gas boilers from 2035 but speaking before the general election, Labour’s Energy Secretary Ed Miliband suggested he would scrap that rule.
Heat pump sales reach record levels in 2024, according to data from Microgeneration Certification Scheme, with nearly 60,000 air source heat pump installations. But they are only used by 1% of households.
A new boiler currently costs about £3,000 but the government has promised to ramp up efforts to get landlords and homeowners to switch when their existing boilers need replacing, including by extending the £7,500 subsidy through the Boiler Upgrade Scheme. Latest data from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero shows that the mean cost of an air source heat pump since the start of the scheme was £13,287 including the grant value.
A recent report by energy efficiency platform epIMS found that heat pumps are more energy efficient but more expensive to run due to the cost of electricity and are not always the best way to upgrade a property's EPC rating.
However, Daniel Särefjord, CEO of heat pump manufacturer Aira UK, says should the government decide to scrap the 2035 ban on the installation of new gas boilers, it would be a backward step that jeopardises the UK’s progress toward achieving its net zero targets. He adds: “This decision would risk undermining one of the fastest-growing sectors in the UK and sends confusing signals to an industry poised to lead the country’s transition to a low-carbon economy, as well as people across the country.”
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