Prime Minister confirms U-turns on boiler replacement and EPC rules

Reported by Robyn Hall - The Negotiator 

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has promised more time for households to make the transition to heat pumps under plans to decarbonise the country’s homes.

The Neg reported yesterday that a delay to the ban on gas boilers was being considered by the Government. The target was for no gas boilers to be installed in new homes by 2025, and for the phasing out of boilers altogether to begin in 2033.

PRESS CONFERENCE

But speaking this afternoon the Prime Minister told a press conference (main picture) that households will only have to make the switch when they’re changing their boiler anyway, and not until 2035.

He said the government would never force anyone to replace a gas boiler with a heat pump. Instead, householders will only be required to switch when they are due to change their boiler anyway. Heat pumps, he said, needed to be made cheaper without imposing high costs on families at a time while technology is still expensive. The Prime Minister also pushed back the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars in the UK from 2030 to 2035, aligning with EU countries like Germany, France, Spain and Italy.

UNWANTED PRESSURE

Michael Cook, Group Managing Director of Leaders Romans Group, welcomed the latest u-turn and says asking landlords and homeowner to spend even more money was ‘unwanted pressure’.

He says: “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. Reducing capital outlay by reversing out of policies like this is in everyone’s interest in the short to medium turn.”

UNCERTAINTY

Ben Beadle (pictured), Chief Executive of the National Residential Landlords Association, says: “We want to see all properties as energy efficient as possible.

However, the uncertainty surrounding energy efficiency policy has been hugely damaging to the supply of rented properties.

“Landlords are struggling to make investment decisions without a clear idea of the Government’s direction of travel. “It is welcome that landlords will not be required to invest substantial sums of money during a cost-of-living crisis when many are themselves struggling financially. However, ministers need to use the space they are creating to develop a full plan that supports the rental market to make the energy efficiency improvements we all want to see. “This must include appropriate financial support and reform of the tax system which currently fails to support investment in energy efficiency measures.”