Warm Home Upgrades

This work is part of wider Government initiatives to improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon emissions across homes in the UK. Places for People has secured funding through the Warm Homes Social Housing Fund to help upgrade homes making them more comfortable and energy efficient while also helping reduce carbon emissions nationally.

The improvements are funded through the Government’s Warm Homes Social Housing Fund programme. This funding is specifically designed to support energy efficiency upgrades in Housing Association homes.  

An Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) is a report that measures how energy efficient a home is. It gives the home a rating from A to G, with A being the most energy efficient and G being the least. Your EPC also provides information about the home's energy performance and recommends improvements that could help make the home more energy efficient and reduce its environmental impact.  

A Retrofit Assessment is a home survey that helps us understand how your home currently performs and what improvements could make it warmer, more comfortable, more energy efficient.  

The assessor will look at things like insulation, heating, ventilation, windows, and the overall condition of the home. A Retrofit Assessment also records the condition of the home with consideration to any defects or necessary repairs. This information is then used to recommend the most suitable energy-saving upgrades for your home.  

Please note: As these works are funded by the Government, there are strict eligibility criteria. One of these requirements is that the home must have an EPC rating of Band D or below. 

A PIBI is a survey carried out before the proposed improvement works are started. The purpose of the PIBI is to confirm that the improvements recommended during the retrofit design process are suitable and achievable for your home. This helps ensure that any future energy-efficiency improvements are appropriate, safe and effective for your home. 

Each home is different and therefore may require different Warm Home Upgrades which could affect the length. The contractor responsible for your Warm Home Upgrades will communicate with you about the length of time needed to complete these works.  

Please note: This time frame may be affected by circumstances such as extreme weather conditions.  

Each home is assessed individually using an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). Because every home is different, EPC ratings and recommended improvements can vary - even between neighbouring homes. 

This means: 

• You may receive different upgrades than your neighbours, or
• Your neighbours may not be eligible for works at this time. 

As this is Government-funded, we must follow set criteria and are unable to adjust or change the measures outside of these requirements. We are also unable to include someone in the works whose EPC is a Band C or higher.  

Places for People’s delivery team will carry out a final inspection of the workmanship to ensure everything has been completed to the required standard and will sign off your home.  

You will also be asked to complete a short questionnaire to provide feedback on your experience. The contractor will carry out a post-works EPC assessment to confirm any improvements to your home's energy efficiency.  

Please note: These steps may not necessarily take place in this order. 

Each region has a dedicated Asset Engagement Lead who can provide more information and answer any questions or concerns. 

Please contact the Retrofit team on retrofit@placesforpeople.co.uk or the Places for People Customer Contact Centre, who will direct you to the appropriate person. 

An ASHP extracts heat from the outside air and transfers it into your home. It works by: 

• Drawing in air through a fan.
• Using a refrigerant to absorb heat from the air.
• Compressing the heat to increase its temperature.
• Releasing the heat into your home via radiators or a hot water system. 

The most cost-effective way to run an ASHP is to maintain a steady indoor temperature (typically 18–21°C) rather than allowing your home to cool down and then reheating it. ASHPs work most efficiently when providing a consistent level of heat over a longer period. 

Rather than frequently adjusting the main thermostat, it is often better to make small adjustments using the thermostatic radiator valves (TRVs) on individual radiators. This allows you to fine-tune the temperature in different rooms while helping the system run efficiently. 

It is normal for radiators and hot water cylinders connected to an ASHP to feel cooler than those used with a traditional boiler. ASHPs operate at lower temperatures and heat water more gradually, so radiators may feel warm rather than hot. Although they may feel different, the system is designed to keep your home comfortable and provide a reliable hot water supply in a more energy-efficient way. 

The contractor will safely remove your existing heating system, including radiators and water and oil tanks where necessary. Some additional pipework may be required during installation. There may also be small gaps in your carpet or flooring after we have removed your previous radiators/heaters - you can discuss this with your Delivery Lead if you have concerns.  

Your new ASHP system will be routinely serviced by Places for People. 

Please make sure the contractor can access the areas needed to complete the works such as radiators/storage heaters or where your current heating system is located. They will also need the area where your new ASHP is going to be installed cleared.  

If you require assistance, please contact the contractor before the works start.  

The ASHP is a piece of machinery so it will make some low-level noise, but as they usually go outside, they are generally much quieter than traditional boilers.  

Your ASHP is designed to work in temperatures as low as -20°C.

ASHP run on electricity. If you had a gas boiler and have no other gas appliance, it is best to speak to your energy provider and ask for your gas meter to be removed so you no longer pay a standing charge.  

There are lots of flexible tariffs that are designed to benefit homes with ASHP, so it is a good idea to shop around and explore your options.

Solar Panels work by using an inverter to convert the sunlight hitting the panels into electricity to be used around the home. Any excess electricity being generated that is not used around the home is automatically sent back to the national grid. They do not need direct sunlight to work, and they can still generate electricity on cloudy days.  

A small panel, called the generation meter, is generally installed near to your consumer unit and will show the amount of electricity that has been generated.  When the panels are generating electric, the number shown on the panel should be counting upwards, albeit in small amounts depending on the amount of sunlight each day. 

There’s nothing you need to do - solar panels work automatically during daylight hours, even when it’s cloudy. To maximise the benefits, it is a good idea to shift using your electricity heavy appliances (like washing clothes) to peak daylight hours where possible.  

You will have scaffolding put up so that the contractor can install the solar panels on the roof. For your safety, please do not touch, climb on, or interfere with the scaffolding at any time.  

They will also install bird proof netting around the solar panels and an inverter, the piece of equipment that turns the sunlight into electricity. You will also have your consumer unit upgraded to support the new system.  

Please make sure the contractor can access the areas needed to complete the works, including where scaffolding will be erected and your loft hatch. As scaffolding may extend up to one metre from the external walls, please move any items that could obstruct access, such as plant pots, hanging baskets, garden furniture or vehicles. 

Your TV aerial or satellite dish may need to be temporarily moved during the works and reinstated afterwards. The contractor will let you know if this is required. 

If you need assistance preparing for the works, please contact the contractor before work starts. We also recommend informing your contents insurer, as the work may affect your cover during the installation period. 

Places for People will maintain the solar panels. Please do not attempt to clean them or repair the system yourself. If you think there is something not working as it should, please report this to our Customer Contact Centre.  

You will not be able to sell your energy back to your utility provider, and any unused electricity will go straight back to the national grid. This means you do not need to receive the MCS certificate.  

The electricity generated by the solar panels is totally clean and reduces your overall carbon footprint and as some of this may end up going back to the grid you are also helping to contribute to the UK’s goal of being greener. 

Battery storage units are costly.  To give as many Places for People Customers the benefit of having reduced electric usage, the focus is on installing solar panels on as many homes as possible. 

Cavity Wall Insulation is installed by filling the gap (cavity) between the outer and inner walls of your home with insulating material. This is done by drilling a series of holes on the outside of the wall and pumping in the insulation.  

The holes are then sealed back up with an appropriate mortar. This helps reduce heat loss and improves the energy efficiency of the home. 

Please move any furniture away from external walls and ensure contractors have safe access to the home. This includes removing any pet waste from front and rear gardens. Scaffolding may extend up to one metre from the external walls, so please remove any items that may obstruct access, such as plant pots, hanging baskets, garden furniture or vehicles. 

Your TV aerial or satellite dish may need to be temporarily moved during the works and reinstated afterwards. The contractor will let you know if this is required. 

If you need assistance, please contact the contractor before work starts. We also recommend informing your contents insurer, as the works may affect your cover during the installation period. 

Loft insulation is a layer of insulating material installed in the loft or roof space of your home. Loft insulation helps prevent heat from escaping through the roof, keeping your home warmer and reducing energy use. 

Please clear your loft space as much as possible. If you need support with this then please let Places for People know or the contractor as soon as possible and we can look in to supporting, you with this. Please do not put anything back into the loft as this could damage the loft insulation and make it less effective. 

If you are having solar panels or an Air Source Heat Pump installed, you may need an electrical upgrade. This could include a new consumer unit (fuse box) and/or a double-pole isolator, which allows the electrical supply to be safely disconnected for maintenance or emergencies. 

Your electricity supply will need to be switched off for a short period during the works. Please let the contractor or Places for People know in advance if you rely on electrical equipment that requires a continuous power supply. 

Where new wiring is needed, existing cable routes will be used wherever possible. If surface-mounted wiring is required, it will be enclosed in protective trunking fixed to the wall or ceiling. 

As part of the installation, smoke alarms may be upgraded or installed to meet safety and compliance requirements. This may include additional smoke alarms being installed in your home and will also include a remote-control switch (often referred to as a “hush button”) which will enable you to silence and test the alarms from a convenient location. 

If your consumer unit is located within a cupboard, then we will need to have this cleared to enable access.

Low energy lightbulbs are another way of reducing your electric usage so we may change some of your lightbulbs. This is also something you can do yourself if you want to further increase your home’s energy efficiency. 

A small amount will be trimmed from the bottom of internal doors to leave a 1cm gap from the floor to allow airflow between rooms. These undercuts allow for fresh air to travel through rooms and ensures good air quality throughout your home. Typically, the contractor will remove the door to allow them to trim the bottom of it.  

Please ensure that the contractor can safely access the door by removing items nearby. If you require assistance, please contact the contractor before the works start. 

If your windows (in the lounge/bedrooms) do not already have trickle vents, these will be installed as part of the works. Trickle vents are small openings located at the top of a window frame that allow fresh air to enter your home, even when the windows are closed.  

They help to improve ventilation, reduce the build-up of moisture and condensation, and maintain good indoor air quality. Please note your trickle vents in your kitchen and bathrooms may be sealed as part of this works.

More powerful fans will be installed in areas like kitchens and bathrooms. If there isn’t enough room for these to go on external walls then they may be placed in a window, this will be communicated to you if this affects your home. 

Existing window trickle vents in your kitchen and bathrooms may be sealed, as the upgraded extractor fan system will provide improved ventilation.  

These improve airflow within the loft space, helping to prevent damp and condensation. 

When we help make a home retain more heat, we make it more airtight. Because of this we need to make sure we maintain good airflow so that it keeps the home more comfortable and healthier. Ventilation is important so that moist air can escape and fresh air can come in.

Yes - simple actions can make a big difference: 

• Use extractor fans when cooking or bathing.
• Dry clothes outside where possible (or ventilate rooms if drying indoors).
• Avoid blocking vents.
• Open windows occasionally to allow fresh air in.