Covid-19 Affordable Warmth / Boiler Replacement update

Our Grants Offices will only be able to address those emergency cases which a Council refers to us that meet the scheme’s criteria.

An emergency is where your oil / gas heating is not working – the boiler broken down beyond repair - and all scheme criteria are met.

You may qualify if you:

• live in Northern Ireland,
• own your home, have your day / life interest in the house or rent it from a private landlord; and
• have a total annual gross income of less that £20,000

Please read full details of this scheme which targets low income households who experience the effects of fuel poverty and energy inefficiency. It explains what measures you may qualify for.

The Housing Executive administers Affordable Warmth Scheme on behalf of the Department for Communities, agreeing grant-aid and making payment(s) at the appropriate time.

The Housing Executive cannot accept direct applications for the Affordable Warmth scheme, only referrals from a Council. Any questions about the scheme should be addressed to your Council.

The Housing Executive is not responsible for contractors; contractor(s) are employed by you.

Your contact at the Council will guide you on what steps you should take. But below are details of what you will need providing you qualify:

• confirmation your boiler is broken beyond repair.
  • You will need a report from your boiler’s manufacturer; if this is not possible, you will need to advise your council that you have contacted your manufacturer and it has confirmed a visit cannot take place due to Covid-19. 
  • If this is the case, for oil boilers, an OFTEC – PUB100 report or, for gas boilers, a Gas Safe – CP12 report will be accepted for COVID-19 cases. Your contractor completes this;
• a summary by your contractor of the defects which caused the boiler to be deemed beyond repair;
• completed application form – your local council will help with this; and
• a number of clear photographs of the current broken down boiler to include:
  • the boiler as one unit in its current location – we should be able to clearly identify it is your property from this photograph
  • the defects which means the boiler is beyond repair
  • close up of the current controls
  • the boiler’s date plate with serial number

Information should be provided to your local Council which will arrange to send to the
Housing Executive.

DO NOT start work until you have received confirmation in writing by email that you qualify for the scheme.

If you qualify for the Affordable Warmth scheme we will grant-aid the emergency heating element (detailed above) initially. Your application will be put on hold until our service resumes and we can inspect your property to determine what other measures you may qualify for.

The Housing Executive will not pay for any work started / completed in your house before you have received written permission for additional measures.

Your contractor is obliged to ensure that the site is maintained at a high standard of health and safety throughout the job observing Health & Safety regulations.

This includes implementing social distancing measures.

For more information on COVID-19 and social distancing go to the Public Health Agency
website:
www.publichealth.hscni.net/news/covid-19-coronavirus

It is your choice whether to have work suspended at your property. Please discuss the
matter with your contractor(s) and agree the way forward.

If you and your contractor agree to suspend work because of COVID-19 it is vital your contactor ensures the site is closed properly and left in a safe manner.

Check with your contractor what s/he will do to ensure the property is safe if s/he has to stop work before the job is completed.

The Housing Executive is not responsible for your contractor as s/he is employed by you. It is therefore important that you are satisfied your contractor ensures the site at your property is safe in the event of work having to be stopped before it is completed.

Under normal circumstances we expect Affordable Warmth grant-aid work to be completed within three months of the date of approval.

However, a grace period is now in place for approved Affordable Warmth grant-aid work
affected by the COVID-19 health crisis.

Grants offices will not cancel cases older than three months; we will be in contact once
normal service resumes.

Under normal circumstances the Housing Executive will only make payments based on an
inspection by a Technical Officer. However, we have suspended these visits.

The Housing Executive has made arrangements to make payments without inspections but these will be based on evidence provided.

Please Note:
ANYONE KNOWINGLY MAKING A FALSE STATEMENT TO FRAUDENTLY OBTAIN MONIES IS LIABLE TO PROSECUTION

Important information on Final Inspections:
Once the Housing Executive is able to resume technical inspections we will organise to
inspect those properties where payments have been processed without a technical
inspection.
Where it is identified that a payment has been made but items have not been completed in
accordance with the specification for the relevant works and in accordance with Domestic
Energy Efficiency Grants (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016, the Housing Executive reserves the right to recoup monies paid from either the applicant or the
contractor.

If the work is completed, as an applicant you can make a request for final payment or agree with your contractor s/he should do this.

If you decide to complete the return the Housing Executive will need:

• Contractor’s final invoice
• Completed ‘Contractor’s Completion’ form – Contractor and Householder must complete and sign section for each measure within the List of Grant Aided Works;
• Completed ‘Notification of Completion of Works’ form for each measure.
• Payment form BACS 01 for each measure, as appropriate
• Confirmation from Building Control that works are satisfactory (we may make a payment without this but it remains a requirement to return when Building Control complete the inspection. Please refer to section on Building Control).

Where applicable the Housing Executive will also need:

• If cavity wall insulation has been installed a CIGA or other comparable 25 year certificate approved by the Housing Executive;
• If solid wall insulation has been installed a SWIGA or other comparable 25 year certificate approved by the Housing Executive;
• A copy of planning approval; and / or
• Copies of the written correspondence from the Housing Executive showing approval was given for additional funding during the course of the grant application.

As the Housing Executive is not in a position to inspect it will also need photographic evidence (see photographic evidence section below) showing work completed for each item on the List of Grant-Aid Work. No payment will be processed without this.

You should refer to the List of Works which you were sent when the Approval of Application pack was sent.

From this your contractor must provide photographic evidence of the grant-aid work for which a claim is being made.

Evidence of each individual item detailed on the List of Grant-Aided Works must be provided. A clear photograph of each item and a note indicating the location of the item is
required. It should be evident from the photographs that they relate to the grant household.

Below are examples of items that may have appeared on your List of Works and what
supporting evidence is required from you. Each List of Works will be specific to an individual property and the more information you and your contractor(s) can give the better.

Affordable Warmth Scheme

Loft:

• Tile Vents - photographs of back and front of the property to show all six / 6 tile vents in situ
• 300mm Insulation - photograph of internal loft with a ruler / tape to show the depth of insulation installed

Draught Proofing:

• 3 x Draught Proofing to External Doors or Windows: photograph to show the location of draught proofing installed

Cavity Wall:

• Cavity Wall Insulation: photographs to show boreholes on all applicable elevations
• Core vent: photograph should show installed core vent

Windows:

• New PVC Windows – photograph of each individual window replaced detailing their location
• Replacement Hinges - photograph of each individual hinge replaced detailing their location
• Replacement Handles - photograph of each individual handle replaced detailing their location

Solid Walls:

• Solid Wall Insulation photographs must show each elevation with new solid wall insulation

Affordable Warmth & Boiler Replacement Schemes

Heating
New Gas / Oil Boiler: Photograph(s) of the boiler clearly showing the boiler at the property and then a close up of the date plate.

Time and Temperature Controls: Photographs showing:

• the new time clock
• motorised valves
• room stat
• cylinder stat

Please include details of the location for each item (eg Hall, Hot Press, etc…)

The above is required for boilers installed through the Boiler Replacement Scheme, where applicable. 

Also, for the Affordable Warmth Scheme:

Radiators: Photographs of each individual radiator clearly showing the TRV and Lockshield.

Oil Tank: Photograph should show the new Bunded tank and base in situ.

Additional heating evidence required
For both the Affordable Warmth and Boiler Replacement Schemes properties that have had boilers replaced your contractor must provide the following before a grant-aid payment is made:

Oil Boiler: a copy of the completed Boiler Passport (a clear readable photograph will be accepted)

Gas Boiler: a copy of the completed Benchmark Checklist (a clear readable photograph will be accepted)

Download and print this quick reference guide to evidence.

If Building Control is not able to inspect and therefore cannot provide a certificate of completion, evidence should be provided to confirm that Building Control Approval has been applied for.

Building Control should have been applied for before work commenced. The person who made this application should have received an acknowledgement receipt of payment from Building Control.

The Housing Executive may provide payment if no Building Control Certificate can be issued due to COVID-19, but the Building Control receipt and notification to the Council that the works are completed must be sent in as evidence.

Once the COVID-19 period has passed, a copy the final Building Control Certificate must be returned.

All evidence must be submitted by email. In the subject line you must provide the reference number (see Approval of Application pack).

Restrictions on email size
Please note there is a restriction on the size of email which we can receive. Therefore you must ensure that one email’s total size does not exceed 30MB. This means you may need to send more than one email.

If you need to send more than one email it is vital that each email you send contains the same subject title detailing:

• the grants reference number; and
• each email is marked as 1 of 4; 2 of 4, etc.

Grant Office emails:
Belfast / South East belfast.grants@nihe.gov.uk
Council areas:
Belfast City Council | Lisburn City and Castlereagh | Ards and North Down

Derry/Londonderry derry-londonderrygrants@nihe.gov.uk
Council area: Derry City and Strabane

North East northeast.grants@nihe.gov.uk
Council areas:
Antrim and Newtownabbey | Mid and East Antrim | Causeway Coast & Glens

South south.grants@nihe.gov.uk
Council areas:
Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon | Newry, Mourne and Down

West / Omagh west.grants@nihe.gov.uk
Council areas:
Mid Ulster | Fermanagh and Omagh

Once the Housing Executive is able to resume technical inspections we will organise to inspect those properties where payments have been processed without a technical inspection.

Where it is identified that a payment has been made but items have not been completed in accordance with the specification for the relevant works and in accordance with Domestic Energy Efficiency Grants (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016, the Housing Executive reserves the right to recoup monies paid from either the applicant or the contractor.

Our Grants Offices will only be able to address those emergency cases which a Council refers to us that meet the scheme’s criteria.

An emergency is where the current oil or gas heating is not working – the boiler broken down beyond repair - and all other scheme criteria are met.

Full details of this scheme are on the Housing Executive’s website.

The Housing Executive administers Affordable Warmth Scheme on behalf of the Department for Communities, agreeing grant-aid and making payment(s) at the appropriate time.

The Housing Executive cannot accept direct enquiries for the Affordable Warmth Scheme, only referrals from Councils.

The Housing Executive is not responsible for contractors; contractor(s) are employed by the applicant.

The Council will guide the applicant; but below are details of what are needed:

• confirmation the boiler is broken beyond repair.

  • A report from the boiler’s manufacturer is needed, but if this is not possible, we will accept, for oil boilers, an OFTEC – PUB100 report or, for gas boilers, a Gas Safe – CP12 report instead  (this only applies during the COVID-19 period).

  • The applicant will have to advise their Council that they have been in contact with their boiler’s manufacturer and it cannot attend due to Covid-19;

• a summary, including photographs, by the contractor of the defects which caused the boiler to be deemed beyond repair;

• application form – the council will work with the applicant to complete this; and

• a number of clear photographs of the current broken down boiler to include:

  • the boiler as one unit in its current location – we should be able to clearly identify it is your property from this photograph

  • the defects which means the boiler is beyond repair

  • close up of the current controls

  • the boiler’s date plate with serial number

Information should be provided to the applicant's Council which will arrange to send to the Housing Executive.

DO NOT start work until your customer has received confirmation in writing that they qualify for the scheme.

If the applicant qualifies for the Affordable Warmth scheme and is awarded grant-aid for the emergency heating element we only expect this (boiler replaced) to be completed. If the property requires additional heating items urgently at this stage such as radiators, TRVs, etc, they must be requested once approval has been issued.

The application will be put on hold until our service resumes and we can inspect property to determine what other measures may be grant-aided.

The Housing Executive will not pay for any work started / completed in a property before written permission has been given for any additional measures.

As a contractor you are obliged to ensure that you maintain a high standard of health and safety throughout the job observing Health & Safety regulations. This includes social distancing measures.

For more information go to:

Public Health Agency: www.publichealth.hscni.net/news/covid-19-coronavirus

HSE-NI: https://www.hseni.gov.uk/news/coronavirus-covid-19-update

FMB: https://www.fmb.org.uk/about-the-fmb/policy-and-public-affairs/responding-to-coronavirus-covid-19

The Housing Executive encourages contractors to discuss any suspension of work at the property with their customer.

It is important to ensure you fulfil your obligations to customers around the health and safety of a site.

Under normal circumstances we expect Affordable Warmth grant-aid work to be completed within three months of the date of approval.

However, a grace period is now in place for approved Affordable Warmth grant-aid work affected by the COVID-19 health crisis.

Grants offices will not cancel cases older than three months; we will be in contact once normal service resumes.

Under normal circumstances the Housing Executive will only make payments based on an inspection by a Technical Officer. However, we have suspended these visits.

The Housing Executive has made arrangements to make payments without inspections but these will be based on evidence provided.

Please Note:
ANYONE KNOWINGLY MAKING A FALSE STATEMENT TO FRAUDENTLY OBTAIN MONIES IS LIABLE TO PROSECUTION
Please read ‘Important Information on Final Inspections’ below.

If the work is completed your customer may ask you to make the request for final payment.

If final payment is requested on behalf of the Applicant by you as their Contractor the
Housing Executive will need:

• Your Invoice
• Completed ‘Contractor’s Completion’ form – you must complete and sign section for each measure within the List of Grant Aided Works. It must be counter-signed by your customer
• Payment form BACS 02 for each measure, as appropriate
• Confirmation from Building Control that the works have been carried out satisfactorily (we may make a payment without this but it remains a requirement to return the certificate when Building Control has completed an inspection – please refer to the section on Building Control);

Where applicable the Housing Executive will also need:

• A copy of planning approval
• where cavity wall insulation has been installed a CIGA or other 25 year comparable certificate approved by Housing Executive
• where solid wall insulation has been installed a SWIGA or other comparable 25 year certificate approved by the Housing Executive
• Copies of the written correspondence from the Housing Executive showing approval was given for additional funding during the course of the grant application.

As the Housing Executive is not in a position to inspect it will also need photographic evidence (see 'What photographic evidence should I provide as contractor?' below) showing work completed for each item on the List of Grant-Aid Work. No payment will be processed without this.

You should refer to the List of Works which was sent when the Approval of Application pack was issued to your customer.

Evidence of each individual item detailed on the List of Grant-Aided Works must be provided. A clear photograph of each item and a note indicating the location of the item is required. It should be evident from your photographs that they relate to the grant
household.

Below are examples of items that may have appeared on the List of Works and what supporting evidence is required from you. Each List of Works will be specific to an individual property and the more information you can give the better.

Affordable Warmth Scheme

Loft:

• Tile Vents - photographs of back and front of the property to show all six / 6 tile vents in situ
• 300mm Insulation - photograph of internal loft with a ruler / tape to show the depth of insulation installed

Draught Proofing:

• 3 x Draught Proofing to External Doors or Windows: photograph to show the location of draught proofing installed

Cavity Wall:

• Cavity Wall Insulation: photographs to show boreholes on all applicable elevations
• Core vent: photograph should show installed core vent

Windows:

• New PVC Windows – photograph of each individual window replaced detailing their location
• Replacement Hinges - photograph of each individual hinge replaced detailing their location
• Replacement Handles - photograph of each individual handle replaced detailing their location

Solid Walls:
Solid Wall Insulation photographs must show each elevation with new solid wall insulation.

Affordable Warmth & Boiler Replacement Schemes

Heating
New Gas / Oil Boiler: Photograph(s) of the boiler clearly showing the boiler at the property and then a close up of the date plate

Time and Temperature Controls: Photographs showing the new time clock, motorised valves, room stat and cylinder stat (This is also Required to be submitted for Boilers installed under the boiler replacement scheme where applicable) Location – Hall / Hot Press Etc.

Radiators: Photographs of each individual radiator clearly showing the TRV and Lockshield

Oil Tank: Photograph should show the new Bunded tank and base in situ

Additional heating evidence required
For both the Affordable Warmth and Boiler Replacement Schemes properties that have had boilers replaced the contractor must provide the following before a grant-aid payment is made:

Oil Boiler: a copy of the completed Boiler Passport (a clear readable photograph will be accepted)

Gas Boiler: a copy of the completed Benchmark Checklist (a clear readable photograph will be accepted)

Download and print this quick reference guide to evidence.

If Building Control is not able to inspect and therefore cannot provide a certificate of completion, evidence should be provided to confirm that Building Control Approval has been applied for.

Building Control should have been applied for before work commenced. The person who made this application should have received an acknowledgement receipt of payment from Building Control.

The Housing Executive may provide payment if no Building Control Certificate can be issued due to COVID-19, but the Building Control receipt and notification to the Council that the works are completed must be sent in as evidence.

Once the COVID-19 period has passed, a copy of the final Building Control Certificate must be returned.

All evidence must be submitted by email. In the subject line you must provide the reference number (see Approval of Application pack) and property address.

Restrictions on email size
Please note there is a restriction on the size of email which we can receive. Therefore you must ensure that one email’s total size does not exceed 30MB. This means you may need to send more than one email.

If you need to send more than one email it is vital that each email you send contains the same subject title detailing:

• the grants reference number; and
• each email is marked as 1 of 4; 2 of 4, etc.

Grant Office emails:
Belfast / South East belfast.grants@nihe.gov.uk
Council areas:
Belfast City Council | Lisburn City and Castlereagh | Ards and North Down

Derry/Londonderry derry-londonderrygrants@nihe.gov.uk
Council area: Derry City and Strabane

North East northeast.grants@nihe.gov.uk
Council areas:
Antrim and Newtownabbey | Mid and East Antrim | Causeway Coast & Glens

South south.grants@nihe.gov.uk
Council areas:
Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon | Newry, Mourne and Down

West / Omagh west.grants@nihe.gov.uk
Council areas:
Mid Ulster | Fermanagh and Omagh

Once the Housing Executive is able to resume technical inspections we will organise to inspect those properties where payments have been rocessed without a technical inspection.

Where it is identified that a payment has been made but items have not been completed in accordance with the specification for the relevant works and in accordance with Domestic Energy Efficiency Grants (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016, the Housing Executive reserves the right to recoup monies paid from either the applicant or the contractor.

Our Grants Office is only able to address emergency cases which meet the scheme’s criteria.

An emergency is where a household’s boiler is broken down beyond repair.  

For such an emergency case under COVID-19 we will require suitable evidence to be sent to us by email.

If you have no heat in your home please: 

• email your local Grants office with the details (see 'Where do I submit the request for payment?' below)
• if you cannot email then make contact initially by telephone 03448 920 900 (textphone 18001 03448 920 900); 

However, during these exceptional times we must correspond by email. Please arrange to have access to an email address.  

Your local grants office will guide you through the emergency process.

DO NOT start work until you have received confirmation in writing by email from the Housing Executive that you can.  

The Housing Executive will not pay for any boiler replacement work started / completed in your house before you have received this written permission.

The Housing Executive administers the Boiler Replacement Scheme on behalf of the Department for Communities 

It agrees grant-aid and makes payment(s) at the appropriate time. 

The Housing Executive is not responsible for contractors; contractor(s) are employed by you.

Your contractor is obliged to ensure that the site is maintained at a high standard of health and safety throughout the job observing Health & Safety regulations.  

This includes implementing social / physical distancing measures.

For more information on COVID-19 and social distancing go to the Public Health Agency website

It is your choice whether to have work on a Boiler Replacement suspended before it is finished at your property.  

Please discuss the matter with your contractor(s) and agree the way forward.

If you and your contractor agree to suspend work because of COVID-19 it is vital your contactor ensures the site is closed properly and left in a safe manner.  

Check with your contractor what s/he will do to ensure the property is safe if s/he has to stop work before the job is completed.  

The Housing Executive is not responsible for your contractor as s/he is employed by you.  It is therefore important that you are satisfied your contractor ensures the site at your property is safe in the event of work having to be stopped before it is completed. 

Under normal circumstances the Housing Executive will only make payments based on an inspection by a Technical Officer.  However, we have temporarily suspended these visits. 

The Housing Executive has made arrangements to make payments without inspections but these will be based on evidence provided.

Please Note: 
ANYONE KNOWINGLY MAKING A FALSE STATEMENT TO FRAUDULENTLY OBTAIN MONIES IS LIABLE TO PROSECUTION

Please read ‘Important Information on Final Inspections’

If the work is completed as an applicant you can make a request for final payment or agree with your contractor s/he should do this.   

If you decide to complete the return the Housing Executive will need:

• Completed ‘Installer’s Final Invoice’ form 
• Completed ‘Notification of Completion of Work’;
• Confirmation from Building Control that work has been carried out satisfactorily (we may make a payment without this – please read details in our Building Control section - but it remains a requirement to return a copy of the certificate when Building Control complete the inspection); and
• Payment form BACS 01 if the payment is to be made to your bank account.  If payment is to be made directly to your contractor BACS 02 form must be completed.

As the Housing Executive is not currently in a position to inspect the work carried out we will also need photographic evidence showing work completed on the relevant option (see 'What photographic evidence should my contractor provide?').  No payment will be processed without this.

You should refer to the Approval of Application for Boiler Replacement Scheme pack you received from the Housing Executive.  

It details the allowance payable and therefore the applicable option.

From this your contractor must provide photographic evidence of the grant-aid works carried out relating to the option for which you received the award.  

A clear photograph of each item and a note indicating the location of the item is required.  It should be evident from the photographs that they relate to the grant household.

Heating Evidence
New Gas / Oil Boiler: 

• Photograph(s) of the boiler clearly showing the new boiler in your property; and  
• a close up of the date plate

Time and Temperature Controls: 
Photographs showing 

• the new time clock; 
• motorised valves; 
• room stat; and 
• cylinder stat  

Please include details of the location for each item (eg Hall, Hot Press, etc…) 

Additional heating evidence required
Your contractor must provide a clear readable photograph of the following before a grant-aid payment is made: 

Oil Boiler 

• the completed Boiler Passport

Gas Boiler 

• the completed Benchmark Checklist

If Building Control is not able to inspect and therefore cannot provide a certificate of completion, evidence should be provided to confirm that Building Control Approval has been applied for.

A ‘Building Regulations Application’ from Building Control must be applied for before work commences.  The person who made this application should have received an acknowledgement receipt of payment from Building Control.  The date of the ‘Building Regulations Application’ and payment receipt issued must pre-date the start of work by your contractor(s).

The Housing Executive may provide payment if no Building Control Certificate can be issued due to COVID-19, but the Building Regulations Application payment receipt and notification to the Council that the works are completed must be sent in as evidence.  

Once issued a copy the final Building Control Certificate must be sent to the Grants Office dealing with your case.

All evidence must be submitted by email. In the subject line you must provide the reference number (see Approval of Application pack).

Restrictions on email size
Please note there is a restriction on the size of email which we can receive. Therefore you must ensure that one email’s total size does not exceed 30MB. This means you may need to send more than one email.

If you need to send more than one email it is vital that each email you send contains the same subject title detailing:

• the grants reference number; and
• each email is marked as 1 of 4; 2 of 4, etc.

Grant Office emails:
Belfast / South East belfast.grants@nihe.gov.uk
Council areas:
Belfast City Council | Lisburn City and Castlereagh | Ards and North Down

Derry/Londonderry derry-londonderrygrants@nihe.gov.uk
Council area: Derry City and Strabane

North East northeast.grants@nihe.gov.uk
Council areas:
Antrim and Newtownabbey | Mid and East Antrim | Causeway Coast & Glens

South south.grants@nihe.gov.uk
Council areas:
Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon | Newry, Mourne and Down

West / Omagh west.grants@nihe.gov.uk
Council areas:
Mid Ulster | Fermanagh and Omagh

Once the Housing Executive is able to resume technical inspections we will organise to inspect those properties where payments have been processed without a technical inspection. 

Where it is identified that a payment has been made but items have not been completed in accordance with the specification for the relevant works and in accordance with Domestic Energy Efficiency Grants (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016, the Housing Executive reserves the right to recoup monies paid from either the applicant or the contractor.

Our Grants Offices are only able to address emergency cases which meet the scheme’s criteria.

An emergency is where a household’s boiler is broken down beyond repair.

For emergency cases under COVID-19 we will require suitable evidence to be sent to us by email.

Your customer can contact us directly in the first instance or if they have asked you to contact us on their behalf then please:

• email local Grants office with the details (see 'Where do I submit the request for payment?' below);
• if you cannot email then make contact initially by telephone 03448 920 900 (textphone 18001 03448 920 900);

However, during these exceptional times we must correspond by email. Please arrange to have access to an email address.

The grants office will guide you through the emergency process.

The Housing Executive administers the Boiler Replacement Scheme on behalf of the Department for Communities.

It agrees grant-aid and makes payment(s) at the appropriate time.

The Housing Executive is not responsible for contractors; contractor(s) are employed by the applicant.

As a contractor you are obliged to ensure that you maintain a high standard of health and safety throughout the job observing Health & Safety regulations. This includes social distancing measures.

For more information go to:

Public Health Agency: www.publichealth.hscni.net/news/covid-19-coronavirus

HSE-NI: https://www.hseni.gov.uk/news/coronavirus-covid-19-update

FMB: https://www.fmb.org.uk/about-the-fmb/policy-and-public-affairs/responding-to-coronavirus-covid-19

Please discuss the matter with your customer(s) and agree the way forward.

Under normal circumstances the Housing Executive will only make payments based on an inspection by a Technical Officer. However, we have suspended these visits.

The Housing Executive has made arrangements to make payments without inspections but these will be based on evidence provided. The Housing Executive must have issued
approval to start works prior to work being undertaken.

Please Note:
ANYONE KNOWINGLY MAKING A FALSE STATEMENT TO FRAUDENTLY OBTAIN MONIES IS LIABLE TO PROSECUTION
Please read ‘Important Information on Final Inspections’ below.

When the work is completed, your customer may ask you to make the request for final payment.

If final payment is requested on behalf of the Applicant by you as their Contractor the Housing Executive will need:

• Your Invoice;
• Completed ‘Contractor’s Completion’ form – you must complete and sign section for each item within the List of Grant Aided Works. It must be counter-signed by your customer;
• Confirmation from Building Control that the works have been carried out satisfactorily (we may make a payment without this – see section on Building Control - but it remains a requirement to return a copy of the certificate when Building Control has completed an inspection); and
• Payment form BACS 02.

PLEASE NOTE: if you are not applying for payment please ensure your customer has a copy of your detailed invoice and completion form.

As the Housing Executive is not in a position to inspect it will also need photographic evidence showing work completed for the applicable option in the Approval of Application for Boiler Replacement Scheme pack (see 'What photographic evidence should I provide as contractor?'). No payment will be processed without this.

You should refer to the Approval of Application for Boiler Replacement Scheme pack which was issued to your customer.  

It details the allowance payable and therefore the applicable option.

A clear photograph of each item and a note indicating the location of the item is required. It should be evident from the photographs that they relate to the grant household.

Heating Evidence
New Gas / Oil Boiler: 

• Photograph(s) of the boiler clearly showing the new boiler in your property; and  

• a close up of the date plate

Time and Temperature Controls: 
Photographs showing 

• the new time clock; 

• motorised valves; 

• room stat; and 

• cylinder stat  

Please include details of the location for each item (eg Hall, Hot Press, etc…) 

Additional heating evidence required
Contractors must provide a clear readable photograph of the following before a grant-aid payment is made: 

Oil Boiler 

• the completed Boiler Passport

Gas Boiler 

• the completed Benchmark Checklist

If Building Control is not able to inspect and therefore cannot provide a certificate of completion, evidence should be provided to confirm that Building Control Approval has been applied for.

A ‘Building Regulations Application’ from Building Control must have been applied for before work commences. The person who made this application should have received an acknowledgement receipt of payment from Building Control. The date of the ‘Building Regulations Application’ and payment receipt issued must pre-date the start of work.

The Housing Executive may provide payment if no Building Control Certificate can be issued due to COVID-19, but the Building Regulations Application payment receipt and notification to the Council that the works are completed must be sent in as evidence.

Once issued a copy of the final Building Control Certificate must be forwarded to the Grants Office which is dealing with your customer’s case.

All evidence must be submitted by email. In the subject line you must provide the reference number (see Approval of Application pack) and property address.

Restrictions on email size
Please note there is a restriction on the size of email which we can receive. Therefore you must ensure that one email’s total size does not exceed 30MB. This means you may need to send more than one email.

If you need to send more than one email it is vital that each email you send contains the same subject title detailing:

• the grants reference number; and
• each email is marked as 1 of 4; 2 of 4, etc.

Grant Office emails:
Belfast / South East belfast.grants@nihe.gov.uk
Council areas:
Belfast City Council | Lisburn City and Castlereagh | Ards and North Down

Derry/Londonderry derry-londonderrygrants@nihe.gov.uk
Council area: Derry City and Strabane

North East northeast.grants@nihe.gov.uk
Council areas:
Antrim and Newtownabbey | Mid and East Antrim | Causeway Coast & Glens

South south.grants@nihe.gov.uk
Council areas:
Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon | Newry, Mourne and Down

West / Omagh west.grants@nihe.gov.uk
Council areas:
Mid Ulster | Fermanagh and Omagh

Once the Housing Executive is able to resume technical inspections we will organise to inspect those properties where payments have been processed without a technical inspection.

Where it is identified that a payment has been made but items have not been completed in accordance with the specification for the relevant works and in accordance with Domestic Energy Efficiency Grants (Amendment) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2016, the Housing Executive reserves the right to recoup monies paid from either the applicant or the contractor.