The Honest Answer: Can Landlords Get the BUS Grant for a Rental Property?
Yes, and in all my years of doing this work across Hampshire, I can genuinely count on one hand the number of landlords who knew this before I told them at survey stage. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant is available to landlords replacing a fossil fuel boiler with a heat pump in a rental property. The eligibility criteria are identical to those for owner-occupiers.
If you own rental properties in Hampshire and you have been assuming the BUS grant is only for homeowners, that assumption is wrong, and it may have cost you thousands of pounds already.
What are the eligibility rules for landlords?
The BUS grant is available to landlords under exactly the same conditions as owner-occupiers.
The property must have an existing fossil fuel heating system, gas, oil, or LPG, or direct electric heating such as storage heaters. The heat pump must fully replace that system. A hybrid or bivalent arrangement where the gas boiler remains does not qualify.
The property must have a valid EPC issued within the last ten years. The rating itself does not affect eligibility, a D or E rated property qualifies in the same way as a C rated one.
The installation must be carried out by an MCS-certified installer. AES Limited is MCS-certified.
There is no income requirement, no means test, no tenancy requirement. A single landlord with a rental property in Southampton, Winchester, or Eastleigh qualifies in exactly the same way as a homeowner.
What is not available to landlords?
One important distinction. The BUS grant is available for individual rental properties, but not for a developer building or converting multiple homes at once under the same application. Portfolio landlords can apply for each qualifying property individually, there is no cap on the number of properties a landlord can claim for, provided each one meets the eligibility criteria separately.
Self-build properties are also eligible, which occasionally surprises landlords building to let.
Why do so few landlords know about this?
The BUS has been marketed almost exclusively toward homeowners. Press coverage, installer advertising, government communications, all of it directed at people replacing boilers in their own homes. Landlords have never been a visible target audience, even though they have always been eligible.
The result is a significant pool of property owners across Hampshire who are paying for heat pump installations without the £7,500 they are rightfully entitled to. When I raise this with landlords at survey stage, the reaction is almost always the same: genuine surprise, followed by immediate interest.
How does the process work for a rental property?
Exactly as it does for an owner-occupied home. AES carries out a free survey of the property, assesses eligibility, carries out a room-by-room heat loss calculation, specifies the right Mitsubishi Ecodan system, and completes the installation. After completion, we submit the BUS application to Ofgem. The grant is deducted from your final invoice.
One practical consideration: if the property is tenanted, AES will discuss timing and access with you at survey stage. We plan installations to minimise disruption to tenants.
Related reading:
What is the Boiler Upgrade Scheme and who is it actually for?
Does the £7,500 BUS grant cover the full cost of a heat pump?
Do you pay upfront and get the grant back, or is it deducted from your invoice?
If you own rental properties in Southampton, Winchester, Eastleigh or Romsey and want to understand the BUS grant position for your portfolio, book a free survey. The process for a rental property is identical to a homeowner installation.
Call AES Limited on 01794 830 404 or contact us to book your free survey.
Frequently asked questions
Does the BUS grant apply to all rental property types?
It applies to houses and flats with existing fossil fuel or direct electric heating systems. The property must have a valid EPC. Some flat configurations have practical limitations for heat pump installation, AES assesses this at survey stage.
Can I claim the BUS grant for multiple rental properties?
Yes, provided each property meets the eligibility criteria individually. Each qualifying installation is a separate application. There is no cap on the number of properties a landlord can claim for.
Do I need my tenant’s permission to install a heat pump?
You need access to carry out the survey and installation. AES works with landlords to schedule installations at times that minimise tenant disruption. Under most tenancy agreements, landlords have the right to carry out improvement works with reasonable notice.
Will a heat pump improve my rental property’s EPC rating?
In most cases, yes. A heat pump replaces a fossil fuel boiler, significantly reducing the property’s estimated CO2 emissions. The precise impact depends on the property’s construction and the system specification. AES can advise on the likely EPC impact at survey stage.
Is the BUS grant available for HMO properties?
Houses in Multiple Occupation are eligible under the same criteria as standard residential properties, provided the property has an existing fossil fuel or direct electric heating system and a valid EPC. AES checks eligibility at survey stage.
