Tens of thousands of rural homes could be facing up-front energy costs of more than £30,000 to meet tough energy efficiency standards set by the Scottish Government.
Residents in areas such as the North East and Highlands and Islands living in off-gas grid properties have only three years to meet the target of having electric heating systems installed.
Patrick Harvie, minister for zero carbon buildings, wants more sustainable options, such as heat pumps, installed to replace fossil fuel alternatives.
But in response to a parliamentary question he admitted that around 40,000 countryside homes – nearly a quarter of Scotland’s 170,000 off-grid properties – were not suitable for the installation of air source heat pumps.
According to research by the trade association Liquid Gas UK, forcing these homes to upgrade to greener electric systems could cost homeowners up to £32,000.
New regulations will be rolled out in 2025 for homeowners in Scotland to meet tough energy efficiency standards - requiring houses to have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) rating of C or above – with a backstop of 2033 for transforming all buildings.
Scottish Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie previously stated that there will be trigger points for almost all buildings to meet band C, with one being when a house is put up for sale.
The rules will only apply to properties where it is “technically feasible and cost-effective” for them to reach C level but that cost has not been made clear.
The Scottish Conservatives have raised concerns that the SNP-Green coalition is yet to set out what alternatives will be available for off-grid homes who will be compelled by law to move away from traditional heating systems.
Scottish Conservative shadow secretary for net zero, energy and transport Liam Kerr MSP who has been seeking answers over the fate of off-grid properties said: “The fact that tens of thousands of rural homes risk being left behind and exposed tells you everything you need to know about this SNP-Green government.
“It continually obsesses about the central belt while leaving the rest of Scotland in the lurch.
“In announcing these plans, the Scottish Government didn’t stop to think about the impact on tens of thousands of people living off the gas grid.
“Now it risks implementing a policy without giving any consideration to how the people living in these homes will cope.
“Given the timescales involved, ministers must urgently set out alternatives for off-grid homes to meet the targets set down by government without being hit in the pocket or inconvenienced.
“Life can already be difficult for communities in these areas – the Scottish Government should not be seeking to make it even harder.”
In 2019, 62% of homes were owner occupied, of which only 42% were rated as EPC band C or better.
A study published by Rightmove in 2021 said that 1.7 million properties currently between D and G band EPC cannot be improved to the C rating.
Buildings are scored for their energy efficiency, getting a rating of between A and G for the EPC system. A+ is the best score that a home can receive, showing that it is able to hold its heat better than other buildings.
The Scottish Government has previously only pledged £1.8 billion to help to transform Scotland’s domestic buildings over five years.
A study by LandTech, the property platform, has estimated that 57% of all rental homes in the UK do not comply with the C rating.
That means that more than four in 10 homes rented out by councils will need to upgrade their insulation.
Private landlords face an even bigger bill, as the data showed that nearly two thirds (64%) of private rentals do not live up to the standards.
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