Landlords could claim up to £5,600 to make the home more attractive to students

You may be able to claim back money from the government if you make energy-saving home improvements.

You can get back up to 67% of the cost of installing solid wall insulation, up to £4,000.

You can also get up to £1,000 towards the cost of installing any 2 of the following:

• a condensing gas boiler on mains gas
• double or triple glazing as a replacement for single glazing
• secondary glazing
• energy efficient replacement external doors
• cavity wall insulation
• floor insulation
• flat-roof insulation
• insulation for a room in the roof
• a replacement warm air unit
• fan-assisted storage heaters
• a waste water heat recovery system

You can get up to £500 more if you apply within 12 months of buying a home.

You can also claim back up to £100 towards the cost of your Green Deal assessment if you install energy-saving improvements through the GDHIF.

Eligibility

To qualify all of the following must apply:

• you’re improving a domestic property in England or Wales that you own or live in
• you have either a Green Deal advice report or an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) that’s less than 2 years old
• the improvements you’re applying for are covered by the scheme and recommended in your EPC or Green Deal advice report
• you use a Green Deal provider or installer registered with theGDHIF

You must also meet the scheme’s terms and conditions (PDF, 453KB).

You can’t apply if you’re already getting money back for the same improvements through other schemes, eg the Energy Company Obligation, Green Deal Communities, Green Deal Cashback or the first release of GDHIF.

Rented accommodation

You can apply for the GDHIF if you’re a landlord, unless you’ve received more than €200,000 (£160,000) of de minimis funding in the last 3 financial years.

You can also apply if you’re a tenant in social or private rented housing. The person paying for the majority of the improvements gets the money back.

You can’t apply for the GDHIF on behalf of your clients if you’re a managing agent.

How to claim

1. Get a Green Deal assessment or an EPC for your property.
2. Get and agree a quote from a Green Deal installation companythat’s registered with the Home Improvement Fund.
3. Apply for a Home Improvement Fund voucher before you start the work.
4. Complete the work.
5. Ask your Green Deal provider or installer to fill in the rest of the voucher.
6. Follow the instructions on the voucher to make your claim. You must do this before the expiration date on the voucher.