Housing Services - psh

Private Sector Housing - Energy Efficiency FAQs

For further information contact Ben Cutler in the Private Sector Housing Department on (01730) 234315 or for Eco Town enquires please contact Stephanie Beggs on 01730 234352.

Grants, new boilers and Warm Front- what are they and do I qualify?

The government funded scheme "Warm Front" provides grants to make your home warmer, healthier and more energy efficient.

The grant provides energy-efficiency advice and a package of insulation and heating improvements (including boilers) tailored to each property up to the value of £3,500 and up to £6,000 for an oil-system.

Grants and rebates are for people who receive certain benefits and own their own home or rent it from a private landlord.

To find out if you qualify call the Benefit Entitlement Check Team free on 0800 072 9006

For more information call Warm Front on 0800 316 6011.

"Keep Warm, Keep Well"

East Hampshire District Council has for a limited time, limited funds for boiler repairs. So if you are over 75 years old, an owner occupier and on a low income then please call the Private Sector Housing team for more information on 01730 234315.

What is renewable energy?

Generate your own energy

Renewable energy technologies like solar panels, wind turbines and biomass heaters offer an alternative to fossil fuels and can help reduce your homes CO2 emissions.

There are financial benefits too. As well as producing your own energy you can make money from the electricity generated by your renewable technology installation as a result of the introduction of Feed in tariffs in April 2010 and the introduction of the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI) from 2011/12

The Energy Savings Trust gives lots of advice about how to save energy. You can download their fact sheets on the different types of renewable energies. For more information contact the Energy Saving Trust on 0800 512012 or visit their website www.est.org.uk.

You may need planning permission or building regulations approval for your renewable energy installation. You can contact East Hampshire District Council planning and Building Control departments via our central switchboard number 01730 266511.

Unfortunately, due to financial constraints East Hampshire District Council can not offer monetary assistance for installing renewable energy technologies in your home. Further information surrounding possible funding can be found at The Energy Savings Trust on 0800 512012.

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Can I have a grant for loft and/or cavity wall insulation?

Insulation is one of the most effective ways to stop wasting energy in your home. For example, insulating an un-insulated home can save you as much as £300 a year on energy bills.

As you can see from the picture below around half of heat loss in a typical home is through the walls and loft, so it is worth checking whether these areas of your homes are insulated.

The initiatives detailed below are just some of the many national schemes that are currently running, for further information call the Energy Savings Trust on 0800 512012.

Insulate Hampshire

Hampshire County Council is working with Hampshire District Councils and Scottish Power to help householders reduce energy bills and cut carbon emissions by offering cavity wall insulation for £99 and loft insulation for £99. Some of these services may be free for those over 70 or those who receive qualifying benefits.

Insulate Hampshire could also help you install solar panels on your home, or offer a reduced cost on rolls of insulation, so you can top up your existing loft insulation.

If you are interested in the scheme and would like to find out more, please contact Insulate Hampshire on 0800 952 0037 or visit www.insulatehampshire.co.uk .

(East Hampshire District Council cannot be responsible for work carried out under the Insulate Hampshire scheme.)

Warm Front Scheme

If you receive certain benefits and are over 60 or disabled or have a child under the age of 16, you may be entitled to a full grant for insulation and draught proofing measures under the Warm Front Scheme.

Contact them directly on 0800 316 6011.

Other energy providers also offer discounted insulation schemes

The Utility/Energy Companies are required by the Government to put a certain amount of their profits into energy saving measures (called the Carbon Emission Reduction Targets or CERT for short).

Loft and cavity wall insulation are the most cost effective energy saving measures (in terms of money saved for money spent), so CERT funding tends to be targeted at these areas. Look out for special energy saving offers from your Utility/Energy Company, they may well be subsidised and so could be below the normal market price if purchased from other sources.

Details of these can be obtained from the companies directly. Alternatively ring The Environment Centre on 0800 804 8601 and they will be able to refer you to the installer that offers the best value for your circumstances.

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20 Energy saving tips (with no cost!)

The following are a list of tried and tested tips to help you save energy in the home:

Turning the room thermostat (if you have one), for your central heating down by 1 degree centigrade, could cut your heating bill by 10%.
Don’t leave appliances such as televisions, games consoles, laptops and computers on standby. Switch them off at the mains wherever possible
Turn off lights when not needed.
Change over to energy efficient light bulbs (where practical).
Don't overfill the kettle.
Close your curtains at dusk (it helps keep heat in).
Make sure hot water taps are not dripping.
Always wash a full load in your washing machine or dish washer.
Put lids on pots and pans when cooking (they will boil quicker or simmer with less heat input).
Have a shower instead of a bath.
Reduce time spent in the shower -every minute you cut off your daily shower could save you between £5 and £10 off your energy bills over the year.
Place silver foil behind your radiators to reflect heat back into each room.
Collect rain water to wash your car and water your garden with.
Changing your buying habits - through supporting local businesses, buying local produce and eating seaonal food. (www.eattheseasons.co.uk)
Making your own draught excluder from old/unused tights, filled with fabric scraps, old clothes and even news paper (then unleash your creative side by decorating the outside with more fabric or give it ears and a button nose!).
Don't leave mobile phone chargers on after they have fully charged up.
Defrost your fridge and freezer compartments on a regular basis.
Don’t put really wet clothes into a tumble dryer; wherever possible wring them out and dry them on washing line.
Contact your water supplier for a water saving device for your toilet or fill up an empty plastic bottle (with the lid on) and place that inside the cistern.
Close internal doors behind you to prevent draughts.

Energy Monitors

You can borrow an energy monitor from libraries in East Hampshire and in Havant. It’s easy to use - just clip it on to your mains wire, and plug the monitor in. It will show you how much energy you are using and highlight where you can make reductions

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How can I make sure that I am not paying too much for my fuel?

If you have internet access www.uswitch.com is a website which will find the best tariff for your circumstances and help you to switch companies easily online. You can also contact USwitch by phone on 0845 601 2856.

All energy companies have to offer social tariffs to help their most vulnerable customers (for example on a low income or disabled) cope with the high costs of gas and electricity. All social tariffs must equal the provider’s cheapest tariff. The criteria for who can get the tariff varies between energy suppliers. You should contact your energy provider to see if you qualify for their scheme.

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Where can I find some more advice regarding saving energy around the home ?

Free energy advice can be obtained from a variety of sources and these are detailed below. There are a range of discounts and grants available to all householders (not just those on low incomes), including homeowners.

1). The Energy Saving Trust at www.est.org.uk or by calling 0800 512 012, for free impartial advice on current energy saving schemes, information on current grants, how to calculate your carbon foot print and much much more!

2). The Environment Centre - Home owners can obtain discounts and grants to improve the energy efficiency of their home. For more information contact our local advice centre on 0800 804 8601.

3).FREE Home Energy Check (HEC) - Answer some simple questions about your home and the Energy Saving Trust will give you a free, impartial report telling you how you can save energy in your home. Click here to access the Home Energy Check form .

4). Southern Homes Energy Conservation Action Network (SHECANe) comprises all 14 Local Authorities in Hampshire who work in partnership with the Southampton EEAC to facilitate community based energy saving initiatives. Log on at www.shecane.org to see what's happening in your area.

5). Your utility company will also publicise energy initiatives and grants enclosed with your bill, so it's always worth having a look at the additional information provided.

6) Southern Water provide water and sewage services across Kent, Sussex, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight you can call their automated telephone service on 0845 270 1508 or visit www.southernwater.co.uk for water saving tips, how you may be able to claim your free Flush Saver Bag and more!

7) Portsmouth Water who also supply water and sewage services to numerous areas within Hampshire have their own water/energy saving website where you may obtain free water saving devices, tips and information on other products see www.portsmouthwater-savewatersavemoney.co.uk for more details.

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