Can a landlord get a free heat pump for a rented flat, if the flat is eligible?

This guide is for a landlord who owns a flat let to a tenant. It sets out what GOV.UK, Ofgem and the scheme regulations say, and where they say nothing. It does not give tax, tenancy-law or minimum energy standard advice. For the wider picture of letting a property, see heat pumps for landlords, and for who may be eligible for a free heat pump in a flat more generally see our guide to flats.

Who counts as an eligible landlord?

The scheme defines the eligible person by ownership, not by where they live. GOV.UK says you must own the property you are applying for, and it spells out that this includes a property you rent out to tenants. Ofgem’s installer guidance (version 5.2, the current version when we read it on 9 November 2026) lists properties rented out to tenants among its examples of eligible residential property, so a landlord is not shut out simply for being one.

Social housing, Right to Buy and shared ownership

Regulation 5 says an eligible property must not be social housing, using the meaning in section 68 of the Housing and Regeneration Act 2008. Ofgem’s guidance says that means homes owned or managed by councils, housing associations or registered social landlords, and by other organisations providing housing at below market rent or through shared ownership schemes for people in housing need. Ofgem adds that a property sold through Right to Buy (or a similar scheme) and now privately owned is not classed as social housing and may be eligible.

Shared ownership needs care. Section 70 of the 2008 Act treats accommodation occupied under shared ownership arrangements (a lease granted on payment of a premium based on a percentage of its value or cost) as low cost home ownership and section 68 counts that as social housing, but only where it is also made available under rules for people whose needs are not adequately served by the commercial housing market. The guidance we read gives no other rule for shared ownership flats, so we do not say they are excluded or eligible. This is not legal advice: if your flat is held under a shared ownership lease, ask us before assuming it is eligible.

Owning one flat, several flats, or through a company

Ofgem’s guidance handles these ownership set-ups differently, so tell us early if one applies:

• Joint owners. Consent from one owner is enough if they confirm they have authority to act on behalf of all owners.
• A company or other organisation. Installers give the details of an individual who can legally represent it, such as a director or company secretary. If it is not listed on Companies House, a letter of authorisation is needed.
• A trust. An individual representing the trust is named as owner, and all beneficiaries must be individuals.
• Several flats. Each legally separate property can have its own voucher application, so ask about each flat separately.

We found no ownership document that Ofgem asks an individual owner’s installer to send with the application, but it may ask for evidence of ownership in an audit, such as title deeds or mortgage statements.

The heating being replaced, and earlier funding

GOV.UK says the heat pump must be replacing fossil fuel heating systems, such as oil, gas, electric or LPG. Ofgem’s guidance says the previous system must have been fossil fuel or an electric heating system that does not include a heat pump, with storage heaters, electric panel radiators and electric boilers as examples. If the previous system includes a heat pump providing space heating, the property is not eligible, and GOV.UK adds that you cannot get a grant to replace a low carbon heating system.

On earlier funding, GOV.UK says you cannot get a grant for a property already given government funding or support for a heat pump or biomass boiler. Ofgem lists a previous Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant for a heat pump or biomass boiler at the same address, the heat pump having been promoted as an Energy Company Obligation measure, and any other grant from public funds towards purchase or installation costs as reasons a property is not eligible. Regulation 5 widens the first of these to any previous public grant for a heat pump or biomass boiler at the same address, worded by address, not by owner (regulation 14 separately asks about the owner). So if you bought the flat, ask whether anyone before you received one. GOV.UK says you are still eligible if you have had funding to make the property more energy efficient, for example by insulating it.

Ofgem will ask for evidence of the heating being replaced, typically a recent utility bill or fuel receipt and photographs of the existing heating system. Our application checklist lists what to have ready.

Your tenant: what the sources require, and what they do not

Where the owner does not occupy the property, regulation 14(2)(a)(vii) says the owner has informed the tenant, if there is one, of the impact of the installation.

The sources ask for the tenant to be informed. We found no requirement in them for the tenant’s consent or signature. Nothing here is advice on tenancy agreements, access, notice periods or rent. The survey needs access to the flat, so it helps to agree a time with your tenant early, which is practical advice, not a scheme rule. See what to expect from a heat pump survey.

Lease and freeholder consent: what no source spells out

Many flats are leasehold, so landlords naturally ask whether the freeholder has to agree. We searched the GOV.UK Boiler Upgrade Scheme pages, Ofgem’s version 5.2 installer guidance and regulations 5, 14 and 15 of the scheme regulations for leasehold, freehold and freeholder. None of them uses those words. No source we read spells out how a leasehold flat is treated, so we do not say leaseholders qualify and we do not say they are excluded.

The ownership test as written is ownership of the property. Separately, MCS design rules say the installer shall make customers aware of all permissions, approvals and licences required for the installation. Whether your lease requires anyone’s consent for work that affects the building is a question for your lease and your freeholder or managing agent. Read do I need permission for a heat pump in a flat? before you apply.

What the survey and the heat load calculation decide

Ofgem requires the installer, before applying, to carry out an on-site assessment and be satisfied that the property and chosen technology meet all the eligibility requirements, and to quote with the grant as an upfront discount. ByEco’s survey is free, and a heat pump may be free of charge for an eligible flat, subject to survey and eligibility.

The MCS heat pump design standard (MIS 3005-D) says a heat load calculation should be performed on the building, and that before installation the customer is given the specific room heat losses in writing. The calculation is the basis for choosing a system of the right size for your flat. For more on smaller homes, see whether your home is small enough, if you hope for a free heat pump.

GOV.UK describes the grant as a fixed amount, £7,500 towards an air source (air-to-water) heat pump, and as a grant to cover part of the cost of replacing fossil fuel heating. Ofgem says the installer must deduct the full grant from the quote before you pay. ByEco’s offer for eligible 1 and 2 bedroom flats is described in the offer box at the top of this page. Whether anything is left to pay for your flat is confirmed in the quote you receive after the survey.

What happens next, step by step

1. Get in touch for the survey (assessment). Say the flat is let, who owns it, what heats it now and whether it is leasehold.
2. Survey and quote. The installer assesses the flat, checks eligibility and quotes with the grant as an upfront discount.
3. The installer applies on your behalf on the Ofgem website and uploads the evidence.
4. You consent. Ofgem emails the owner, and consent must come from the owner personally within 14 days of being contacted, or the application will expire and may be rejected. Ofgem also verifies the owner’s identity.
5. Voucher and installation. Ofgem issues a voucher to the installer once the application is properly made and budget is available (see the next section), and the installation must be completed within the voucher’s validity period.
6. Redemption. The installer claims the grant. The full grant value is deducted from the quote and invoice, and the installer must not ask you for the grant amount.

Only one voucher application per property can have consent at a time, so consenting to one quote rejects the others. The step-by-step guide for an eligible flat goes through installation itself.

Voucher validity, the final issue date and why it is sensible to ask early

The Boiler Upgrade Scheme is not permanent. Here is what the sources say, and no more:

• Final issue date. Regulation 15(7)(c) says the Authority must refuse to issue a voucher after 31 December 2029.
• Voucher validity. A voucher for an air-to-water heat pump expires at the end of the day that falls three months after it is issued (regulation 15(2)(a)), and Ofgem cannot extend it. GOV.UK says the heat pump must be commissioned and installed within 120 days of applying, so plan around whichever limit comes first.
• Budget threshold. Ofgem cannot issue any new vouchers once the budget threshold has been met, though a valid voucher already issued will still be paid after a successful claim.
• Queue and cap. If the budget runs out, Ofgem may operate a queue ordered by when the application is deemed properly made. The Secretary of State may also introduce a quarterly cap, with a notice published before the quarter begins.

So the scheme has an end date, its funding is set in budgets, and Ofgem stops issuing new vouchers once a budget threshold is met. Asking for your free survey (assessment) sooner means an application can be made while funding is available, if your flat is eligible.

Ofgem’s BUS monthly scheme update (figures to 30 September 2026, last updated 13 October 2026) lists “Remaining budget for Year 5 (1 April 2026 - 31 March 2027)” as £143,585,000. Its footnote says the figure includes all undetermined applications and vouchers issued yet to be redeemed, and is a dynamic value. That is a snapshot, not a forecast. We are not forecasting when funds might be used, the next update may differ, and you should check the latest report.

Your first step, and where ByEco stands

Call 0161 710 4510 or use the contact page and tell us it is a rented flat. The survey is free, and it is how we find out whether your flat is eligible and what applies. If the survey and the installer’s heat load calculation confirm a unit suits the flat, we take you through the application.

Worth asking any installer what happens if the application is rejected: Ofgem’s guidance says the installer’s ability to seek payment of the deducted amount then depends on the contract between you and the installer, so read the contract before you sign.

ByEco is MCS certified for air source heat pump installation (certificate IAA10330), and we apply for the £7,500 Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant on your behalf. For background, see the Boiler Upgrade Scheme guide, our heat pumps and grants pages, and, to see who may be eligible, can you get a free heat pump? When you are ready, get in touch for your free survey.

Sources

Every figure on this page was checked against primary sources on 9 November 2026. Grant rules, planning rules and prices change — if you are reading this much later, verify before acting.

• GOV.UK — Apply for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme: check if you’re eligible
• GOV.UK — Apply for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme: what you can get
• GOV.UK — Apply for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme: how to apply
• GOV.UK — Apply for the Boiler Upgrade Scheme
• Ofgem — Boiler Upgrade Scheme: guidance for installers
• Ofgem — Boiler Upgrade Scheme guidance for installers V5.2 (PDF)
• Ofgem — BUS monthly scheme update
• legislation.gov.uk — Boiler Upgrade Scheme (England and Wales) Regulations 2022, regulation 5
• legislation.gov.uk — Boiler Upgrade Scheme (England and Wales) Regulations 2022, regulation 14
• legislation.gov.uk — Boiler Upgrade Scheme (England and Wales) Regulations 2022, regulation 15
• legislation.gov.uk — Housing and Regeneration Act 2008, section 68
• legislation.gov.uk — Housing and Regeneration Act 2008, section 70
• MCS — MIS 3005-D The Heat Pump Design Standard, Issue 3.0