An industry body has slated the government’s plan to ‘gently persuade’ landlords to help achieve its climate change campaign in reducing global heating has serious issues for the PRS.

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The Heat and Buildings Strategy which is available in the public domain says £5,000 grants will help owner occupiers and renter families to switch from old gas boilers to alternative forms of heating such as heat pumps.

The government has held talks with the industry body reassuring that landlords will be able to apply for the grant from April next year.

But despite the government’s strategy finally being published, the industry body says that it is ‘way short pf the mark’ as there is little information or clarity of the scheme for landlords to plan ahead, however the government confirmed that there will be further details released later in the year.

A spokesman for the industry body, says: “Eighty per cent of private rented households have gas central heating and replacing such systems will be both costly and vital to achieving net zero.

“Providing grants to assist householders and landlords to install heat pumps is a welcome step, but much more is needed to make the government’s targets achievable.

“Once again private landlords have been left waiting for the government to publish details of the standards they will be required to comply with, the deadlines they must meet, and how such work should be funded.”

Kwasi Kwarteng the Business and Energy Secretary claims the £5,000 grants will help drive the switching to heat pumps and will help lower the costs of the new climate friendly systems.