Air source heat pumps
An air source heat pump replaces a gas or oil boiler with efficient electric heating that lifts a rented home's EPC and cuts its carbon — best fitted once the fabric is insulated so it runs cheaply.
What it is
An outdoor unit that draws heat from the air and upgrades it to warm your radiators and hot water, running on electricity at around 300 to 400% efficiency. It replaces the boiler and usually pairs with a hot-water cylinder; existing radiators are checked and any that are undersized are swapped so the system runs at a low, efficient flow temperature.
Why it matters for 2030
Heating is where most of a home's carbon and running cost sits, and the EPC increasingly rewards low-carbon heating. In a well-insulated property a heat pump can hold or improve the rating while future-proofing the home against tightening rules on fossil-fuel heating in rented housing.
Which homes suit it
Homes that are already reasonably insulated, with space outside for the unit and room for a cylinder. That is why we fit it after the fabric measures — loft, walls and floors first — so the heat pump is sized small and runs cheaply rather than fighting heat loss. We tell you honestly if a property needs insulation first.
Grants that apply
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme gives £7,500 towards an air source heat pump in England, and heat pumps are zero-rated for VAT until 31 March 2027. Eligible Greater Manchester households may also qualify under the Warm Homes: Local Grant. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme requires an MCS-certified installation, which we arrange.
How we do it
We carry out a full heat-loss survey and system design under PAS 2035, arrange MCS-certified installation and the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant, and hand you the MCS certificate and paperwork for your compliance file and the next EPC.
Common questions
Will a heat pump work in an old rented house?
Yes, once it is properly insulated and the emitters are sized correctly; the survey confirms what the property needs first.
Do I have to replace all the radiators?
Not usually all of them — we check each one and replace only those that are undersized for low-temperature running.
How much is the grant?
The Boiler Upgrade Scheme pays £7,500 towards the installation, and the work is zero-rated for VAT until 31 March 2027.
Is it cheaper to run than gas?
In a well-insulated home with the right tariff it can be, because it delivers three to four units of heat per unit of electricity; in a leaky home it is dearer, which is why fabric comes first.
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