Page 29 - February 2024

PROPERTY ADVICE

will have in place, or the permissions they will reach net zero carbon emissions by 2045,
need to apply for. which can make the news of new policies,
or the details of existing proposals, hard
There are more changes on the horizon aside to keep up with. With talk of heat pumps,
from gas boilers that homeowners will need heat networks, district heating, planning
to be aware of: privately rented homes will permission, water and waste heat, plus
need to meet a minimum energy standard by changing timelines and new dates being
2028, and owner-occupied homes will need to put forward, it can be difficult to know as a
meet this same standard by 2033. homeowner what you’re being expected to
do, and when you need to have it done by
There have, understandably, been many – and importantly, how much it might cost.
changes to the various proposals set out by
the Scottish Government in their plans to These are the facts you need to know:

What’s happening to gas boilers?

By 2045, all homes in Scotland will need to The fact is that gas boilers are being phased
be converted to zero-emissions heating out, and the first of the government’s new
systems, such as the kind outlined in the heating standards concerns this. Coming
LHEES documents (see page 25 for more into effect from 1 April 2024, The Building
information on this). These include heat (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2023
What are the new rules around gas boilers? pumps, or connecting your property to a (New Build Heat Standard), means that
district heating network, using heat from
gas boilers will be banned from new-build
a variety of sources depending on your homes, while some other buildings will
Is your gas boiler set to become extinct? We bust some myths and location and/or property type. require a warrant in order to install a gas
fill you in on the facts. boiler. Boilers will be replaced with zero
Under the proposals, people buying direct emissions heating systems, such as
homes (or non-domestic properties) heat pumps.
ou might have heard whispers that the Around one-fifth of Scotland’s greenhouse before 2045 will be expected to convert
Scottish Government is planning to ban gases come from heating buildings, so it’s to a zero-emissions heating system. The cost of purchasing and installing a
Ygas boilers this year – and you might be important to look at what greener alternatives There would be a grace period of heat pump is typically around £10,000
panicking about what to replace yours with, can be used. As part of the wider net-zero between two and five years after the – although currently the Scottish
how much it will cost and when you need to strategy, there have been several plans purchase of the property, and some Government is offering grants of £7,500
have an alternative installed by. published concerning housing and energy exemptions would apply. towards the cost, plus interest-free loans
efficiency, from meeting minimum energy to cover the remaining expense.
Scotland has committed to decarbonise standards to, yes, gas boilers being banned. As of November 2023, the Scottish
heat in buildings and ensure this generates Government pushed back its plan to At the time of publication, there has
zero direct emissions by 2045 – an ambitious Be reassured - in a nutshell, the standards that start phasing out the installation or been little clarity on what would happen
but necessary target in the fight against are coming into play this spring will only affect replacement of fossil fuel boilers by at if a gas boiler broke down, and whether
climate change. This will, however, affect buyers of new-build properties and some other least three years, taking the target date a homeowner would then need to install a
every homeowner in Scotland, whether your property types, and they will already have been from 2025 to 2028. zero-emissions heating system to replace this.
property is tenanted or owner-occupied. made aware of the changes their properties

28 | espc.com espc.com | 29