Landlords who have had faulty wall insulation installed are being told to look out for letters informing them of plans to repair the damage.
The news comes after a report from the National Audit Office revealed tens of thousands of homes need repairs to correct failed installations likely to cause dangerous damp and mould, funded by the Government’s ECO and Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS).
According to the report almost all external wall insulation and a third of internal wall insulation fitted under Government-funded schemes will need replacing.
Am I affected?
You may be affected if:
- You had work funded by ECO4 or GBIS between April 2022 and January 2025, and
- Your installation is considered potentially below standard.
What to do if you think you may be affected
Regulator Ofgem, has a Unique Measure Reference number for each funded installation, and will be contacting all affected households directly by letter, offering a free audit to assess the quality of the work.
You should be aware that, as this letter will be sent to the property in question – where the work was carried out.
The Government is urging everyone that receives an audit invitation to allow access to qualified professionals so that issues can be identified and fixed. Landlords will need to arrange permission to access by tenants.
Even if the original installer has ceased operating, all work carried out under ECO4 and GBIS should be covered by guarantees, and you can contact your guarantee provider directly for further assistance.
Landlords can call the Ofgem ECO helpline for advice – 0808 169 4447.
MEES (Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards)
As a landlord association, and with the looming ‘EPC C rating’ being required, we are hoping for the Government to introduce compulsory licencing for installers. Landlords need to trust that investment in energy efficiency will better their properties and have a positive impact on tenants.
Not surprisingly, the ECO scheme is ending as of 31 March 2026. This was announced in the Autumn budget. Instead, some of the earmarked funding will go towards the £150 reduction of energy bills from April 2026. The Government will also provide an additional £1.5 billion capital investment to tackle fuel poverty through the Warm Homes Plan, in addition to the £13.2 billion of funding allocated at Spending Review 2025.
Article Abridged from Home Owners Alliance and NRLA