Highland Council and E.ON write to home owners about energy savings

The Highland Council and partners E.ON are writing to people to offer energy saving improvements that will help save energy and money in their homes.

The energy and money savings are being offered are under the Home Energy Efficiency Programme for Scotland – Area Based Scheme (HEEPS-ABS) which is being administered and managed for the Scottish Government by The Highland Council in the Highland area.

A joint letter from Jon Kirby Carbon Savings Manager, E.ON Energy Solutions Ltd and Tracey Urry, Highland Council’s Interim Director of Housing and Property Services states that: “To qualify for improvements under this scheme you need to own or privately rent your home which is heated by electricity, coal or oil and requires either cavity or solid wall insulation. If you meet these requirements you may be entitled to these improvements, jointly funded by The Highland Council and E.ON.”

Homeowners and landlords who receive a letter are invited to contact E.ON for more information and to arrange a Home Energy Assessment. The Highland Council and E.ON are keen to point out that home owners will receive initial contact in writing only and no cold calling or door stepping will take place in this programme.

Councillor Dave Fallows, Chairman of The Highland Council’s Finance, Housing and Resources Committee said: “Letters have been posted to the Inverness Central and Aird & Loch Ness Wards and next week we will be writing to people in the Landward Caithness Ward. These areas are three of four areas that the Council and E.ON are writing to within the coming weeks about the £6.4million HEEP-ABS energy saving funds available in the Highlands.”

Councillor David Alston, Vice Chair of the Council’s Finance, Housing and Resources Committee said: “The scheme is mainly aimed at insulating hard-to-treat properties with primary measures being: cavity wall insulation or external wall insulation. We will also be writing to home owners in the Upper Achintore (Fort William) Ward about this fantastic offer.”

Leader of The Highland Council, Councillor Drew Hendry added: “This new three-year programme will provide practical measures to save people money, which is especially welcome in the face of rising fuel costs. HEEP-ABS will also help to reduce the carbon footprint of the Highlands and is in alignment with Highland Council’s recent long term commitment of achieving a Carbon Neutral Inverness in a Low Carbon Highlands by 2025; Carbon CLEVER Highlands.”

E.ON will be in contact with residents in the four chosen areas in writing, as they progress through the Wards identified.

Anyone wishing further information can call the E.ON hotline on 0800 141 2283.