MartinDomm, Author at The Jensen House

Locksmiths play a crucial role in our lives when it comes to ensuring security and accessibility to our homes, cars, and businesses. Whether you're locked out of your house, need to upgrade your security, or require assistance with your car's locks, finding a reputable locksmith is essential. To help you in your search, here are some valuable tips on how to find a trustworthy locksmith.

Seek Recommendations

When in need of a locksmith's services, it's often a good idea to start by seeking recommendations from people you trust. Friends, family members, and colleagues can provide valuable insights into their experiences with locksmiths. Personal referrals can be a reliable way to find a locksmith who is not only skilled but also trustworthy.

Check Online Reviews

In the digital age, online reviews are a treasure trove of information about various service providers, including locksmiths. Websites like Yelp, Google, and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) allow you to read reviews and ratings from previous customers. Look for locksmiths with consistently positive feedback and high ratings, as this is an indicator of their professionalism and the quality of their services.

Verify Credentials

It's important to ensure that the locksmith you're considering is properly licensed, insured, and bonded. Licensing requirements for locksmiths can vary by location, so take the time to check the specific regulations in your area. A reputable locksmith should be able to provide evidence of their credentials upon request.

Request References

A reputable locksmith like Marlie Locksmiths Glasgow should have no qualms about providing you with references. These references are typically past customers who can vouch for the locksmith's reliability and professionalism. Don't hesitate to contact these references to gain valuable insights into the locksmith's track record.

Inquire About Pricing

Before hiring a locksmith, it's crucial to obtain a detailed estimate of the costs associated with the services you require. Beware of locksmiths who offer vague or overly low quotes, as they may be practicing price gouging or providing subpar work. A trustworthy locksmith should offer transparent and competitive pricing.

Check for 24/7 Emergency Service

Emergencies can happen at any time, day or night. It's wise to select a locksmith who offers 24/7 emergency services, especially if you anticipate needing assistance outside of regular business hours. A locksmith's quick response during emergencies is a strong indicator of their reliability and commitment to your security.

Ask About Specializations

Not all locksmiths offer the same range of services. Some specialize in residential locksmithing, while others may focus on automotive or commercial needs. Ensure the locksmith you choose has the experience and expertise relevant to your specific requirements.

Evaluate Professionalism and Communication

A professional locksmith should exhibit a high level of professionalism in their interactions with you. Whether it's through phone calls, emails, or in-person discussions, prompt and clear communication is a positive sign. It's important to feel confident in your interactions with the locksmith you choose.

Biggest threats to business security in 2023

October 2, 2023

| No Comments

| MartinDomm

| 12:02 pm

Cybersecurity is the name of the game in the modern world but physical threats remain a serious concern and something you overlook at the risk of peril.

Remote work has grown tremendously, but not in every industry and working from home brings its own unique security threats that need to be addressed.

Think about it, where once you had one premises to worry about, remote working means you now have many, maybe even hundreds to worry about.

In this blog, we will examine some of the biggest physical security threats to any business in 2023. We won’t stop there then either.

Select Solutions are one of the leading security firms in the UK and we specialise in finding solutions to your security problems. As we walk you through these modern security threats we will also give you some helpful tips on the steps that can be taken to protect yourself against them.

Rising Security concerns in 2023

Tracking on-site movement in a hybrid working world

In a post pandemic world, many business have adopted a hybrid working model where workers flit between the office and their home on an ever changing basis.

There are many big advantages to this model including improves productivity, a happier workforce, and peace of mind that in adverse weather or similar issue your business won’t grind to a halt.

However, security tip 101 is that you should always know who is on your premises at any one time and with workers coming in and out it can become difficult to track this movement.

It is important to put technology in place that records when someone enters or leaves your premises to prevent this causing issues. Luckily, there are plenty of options for this with biometric fingerprint or eye retina scanners used on entry being some of the most effective.

Rising Crime Rates

We will try not to mention the Covid pandemic too many times in this article, but the fact is that many of the biggest security trends that have arisen in the last couple of years are connected to the reopening of the physical business world.

During lockdown, the rates of theft, vandalism, and other property crimes fell noticeably. The most optimistic among us may have hoped that these trends would continue once normalcy returned but this has unfortunately not been the case.

The world opening back up, combined with the economic struggles that have hit the nation since have led to a resurgence in these types of crimes and your security systems must be up to the task of protecting you against them.

Cyber attacks

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L5WnrZalkRA

It would be naïve to ignore the threat of cyber attacks to a business, even if physical security is your biggest focus at this point in time. A data leak that leads to the loss of staff or customer information is as damaging as any physical threat and it is important that you take your online security as seriously as your physical securirty.

What to do if your boiler isn’t working

September 22, 2023

| No Comments

| MartinDomm

| 2:15 pm

We have all been there. It’s a bit chilly outside and we can’t wait to get home and warm up, only to arrive and discover there is no warmth to be found.

A boiler breakdown is frustrating, but it doesn’t have to be a disaster. A local gas safe engineer will have your system back up and running again in no time, but sometimes you won’t even need them.

Most boiler breakdowns are caused by the same few common issues and some of them can be resolved yourself.

These include:

Frozen Condensate Pipe

A frozen condensate pipe is responsible for a large percentage of winter boiler breakdowns. It is located on the exterior of your property and you can have a go at thawing it out yourself by pouring some hot but not boiling water onto the pipe.

Thermostat issues

Have you considered that you boiler might not be the thing that has actually broken down. Many people believe that they are dealing with a boiler breakdown, call out an engineer, and later discover that simply replacing the batteries in their thermostat or resetting it after a power cut would have resolved all their issues in an instant.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DkWemzZGM58&pp=ygUScmVzZXQgYSB0aGVybW9zdGF0

Display panel malfunction

Boilers are home to a number of control panels and systems, all of which can malfunction from time to time. Look up any error message that you are getting in the manufacturers handbook to see what the issue may be. If all else fails try turning your boiler off and on again. You would be amazed at just how often this fixes all the issues that our customers are having.

Cold Radiators

If your boiler seems to be working, but your radiators just won’t heat up properly, you might just need to bleed them to get rid of the trapped air that is preventing heat from circulating properly.

If you see no signs of improvement after you have done this, the entire system may well need to be flushed. If this is the case, a gas safe engineer will need to be called. This is not something that you want to be messing around with and if you have any doubts you should always call in a professional.

If you have tried all of the above with no success, there is probably a deeper lying issue with your boiler that only a professional will be able to resolve.

You should never try DIY gas boiler repair beyond the simply checks mentioned above as it can be incredibly dangerous and may well be illegal. If your boiler is showing no signs of life, the only course of action is to get in touch with a emergency boiler repair Scotland expert as soon as possible.

If you are struggling to know where to start in this search, look no further than the Gas Safe register where you will find a handy list of all the gas safe engineers qualified and trained to carry out boiler repairs in the UK.

A short history of external doors

July 20, 2023

| No Comments

| MartinDomm

| 10:35 am

We all use doors many, many times every single day, but have you ever stopped to consider exactly where the concept of a door came from an how it developed into the multi-use and multi-form construction asset we know it to be today.

Doors are everywhere in the modern world, sliding, revolving, back doors, front doors Glasgow, and everything in between.

We take the security and privacy that doors provide for granted and you probably haven’t ever considered where exactly they first came from or who invented them. Well, as you could probably have guessed, doors in one form or another have been around for quite a while now (understatement of the century) and it is hard to pinpoint exactly who ‘invented’ this fundamental component of modern, and historical construction.

Where did the first idea of a door come from?

Doors, like most human made inventions that have been around for thousands of years, have developed almost beyond recognition over time.

Whilst no-one knows for certain exactly who it was who first invented the door, one thing that historians agree upon is that it first appeared somewhere around central Egypt many centuries ago. This is due to the existence of cave paintings depicting rudimentary doors, thought to be a representation of the entry to the afterlife.

As with an almost limitless list of other technologies, the ancient Greeks and Romans built on the work of the Egyptians and are credited with the development of doors recognisable as the technology we use today. For example, sliding doors were used in temples across ancient Roman as early as 80 A.D. Twin double doors were also common on Roman temples.

What about automatic doors?

Those doors that slide open automatically when you visit your local supermarket? You probably never thought that the idea of a door opening without having to pull or push it open actually tracks back as far as 10 A.D. It does though. In fact, the very first automatic door was created in Greece, Alexandria to be precise, by a mathematician called Heron. The first door activated using a foot was created in China during the 6^th century over 500 years later.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JPv3j6y5zHU&pp=ygUaaGlzdG9yeSBvZiBhdXRvbWF0aWMgZG9vcnM%3D

What materials have been used to construct doors?

In the modern day, doors are made from a wide variety of different materials, with wood, uPVC, and composite doors being particularly popular amongst domestic homeowners. Steel doors are used where security is extra important and glass sliding doors are considered as a stylish choice for office buildings, retail stores and more.

Traditionally, as you might expect, wood was the main material of choice for door construction, with oak proving particularly popular due to its strength and durability. However, there have been some outrageous choices for door materials over the year, especially in temples and other more extravagant constructions. It was not unusual to see bronze doors or even doors furnished with solid gold in the empires of old.

In less affluent locations where timber for door construction was not so readily available, stone doors were often used, especially in areas across the middle east.

Modern doors

In the modern eras, the mid-20^th century to be exact, there was a shift in the construction of doors from mainly wood to uPVC doors, and later to composite doors.

These units were cheaper to make, required less ongoing maintenance, and offered almost unlimited customisation opportunities. It has become more common for front and back doors, particularly on domestic properties to be fitted with double glazed designs and these can easily be incorporated into uPVC doors installed by professional window installation companies.

Composite doors are an even more modern external door variation that takes all of the benefits of both uPVC, wood, and aluminium doors and binds them together to create a strong a durable final product.

In a modern world where energy efficiency is so important, composite doors are a great step forward as they offer heat retention qualities far superior to any other door material. Door manufacturers continue to innovate in terms of door materials and the approach that they take to construction and the story of the door is one that looks likely to continue to evolve and develop in the years, decades, and centuries to come.

Ethical challenges faced by criminal defence lawyers

June 6, 2023

| No Comments

| MartinDomm

| 3:11 pm

There has been a huge amount of research and analysis surrounding the ethics of criminal defence lawyers, revolving around how a lawyer can agree to defend someone potentially guilty of terrible crimes.

Whilst the profession is one of the most widely debated and even detested by the general public, criminal defence lawyers do an incredible amount of good, and are critical to a fair and just legal system.

All those accused of a crime have the right to legal representation but that doesn’t mean that a criminal lawyer has to agree to take every single case that is put in front of them.

There are a number of potentially thorny ethical issues that criminal lawyers must navigate during their careers and it is important that if you intend to enter the field that you are aware of them beforehand.

These include:

Choosing who to defend

One of the most difficult decisions for a criminal defence lawyer to make is choosing who, and who not, to defend. Public defenders are designated cases for them, meaning they have little to no control over the clients they represent.

Private criminal defence lawyers, however, or lawyers working for major criminal defence law firms, do have this privilege and will often be incredibly selective over which clients they take on. This is the reason that you will often see the worst criminal offenders whose guilt is apparent given the weight of evidence against them find it difficult to find a lawyer willing to take them on.

For some, this may be an ethical decision, whilst others may simply be looking to protect their reputation for success as a lawyer. This doesn’t mean, however, that criminal defence lawyers will never take on cases involving horrific crimes where the matter of conviction seems to be pretty cut and dried.

Whilst the perpetrator of a crime may seem obvious to begin with, the evidence of a case may begin to unravel under the expert eye of a criminal defence lawyer. Whilst those accused of crimes cannot force a lawyer to take their case, they have the right to a fair trial, and the right to choose any lawyer who agrees to represent them.

This may appear unfair to some given the crimes they are accused of but is an integral part of maintaining a fair and free society and this right has prevented countless innocent people from being convicted of offences they didn’t commit over the years.

The term innocent till proven guilty may not always ring true in the eyes of the public or the media, but it is the foundation of our legal system and it is the task of a criminal defence lawyer Glasgow to ensure it stays that way.

Attorney client privilege

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pUYawkmD2U&pp=ygUhd2hhdCBpcyBhdHRvcm5leSBjbGllbnQgcHJpdmlsZWdl

Perhaps the most controversial of all the ethical dilemmas that are faced by criminal lawyers. Lawyers are legally required not to disclose any information revealed to them by their client, no matter how incriminating it may be.

It is easy to see why some people may find the idea of protecting someone’s guilt confidential but attorney client privilege is incredibly important to the success of the justice system, In the UK, the right to a free trial goes back many centuries to a time when defendants were concerned that any minor slip when talking to their counsel could incriminate them, leading to them leaving out many important facts that their counsel could have use to build their defence.

The law was then changed so that lawyers were unable to share any information that they were given by their client. This law was introduced to protect those on trial and actually puts lawyers in extremely difficult positions at times, something that the public often fails to recognise.

The only exception to attorney client privilege comes if a person admits not that they have already committed a crime but that they intend to commit future crimes. This is written specifically into the law and not only can lawyers reveal any information that they are aware of regarding future crimes but are actually duty bound by law to do so.

Questioning victims and their families

When representing their client in court a defence attorney must cross examine any witnesses brought forth by the prosecution and even the victim themselves.

One of the toughest parts of the job for any defence lawyer is questioning, often in quite an aggressive manner, those who have just been through a traumatic event, and throwing doubt on their account of events by questioning their integrity.

A defence lawyer’s task is to raise doubt in the minds of the jury and will often imply things without stating them directly in order to achieve this goal.

What is the job of a waking watch officer?

September 23, 2022

| No Comments

| MartinDomm

| 5:41 pm

In 2017, the Grenfell tower tragedy highlighted in devastating fashion the fire safety failings of many high-rise properties across the UK.

In response to these findings, waking watch was introduced, with trained fire marshals patrolling affected properties 24/7 on the lookout for potential fire hazards.

If you live in, or manage, a high-rise property that has been found to have the same cladding as that responsible for the Grenfell tower fire spreading so rapidly, or similar failings within the external wall system, a waking watch system may be required.

Waking watch officers allow for a simultaneous evacuation policy to replace the existing stay-put advice given by the fire service until such time as remediation work has been complete and flammable materials removed.

But what exactly do these fire marshals do on a day-to-day basis? This guide will tell you all you need to know about the role of a waking watch officer, why they are so effective, what they need from you as a resident, and why they are required on your property:

What do waking watch officers do?

Waking watch officers are tasked with protecting the property they are stationed in against the risk of fire.

Many believe that their sole purpose is to act as a human fire alarm, patrolling the building looking for fires, but the truth is that whilst this is a crucial part of what they do, the job description of a waking watch officer is much more detailed.

The tasks performed by waking watch officers include:

Fire detection

The primary, and most important role of a waking watch officer. 24 hours a day 7 days a week waking watch officers will continually patrol your site looking for any signs of an ongoing fire.

These patrols will be conducted at a minimum every 15 minutes and will include a close examination of both the exterior of the building and each interior corridor to ensure the earliest possible identification and response.

Waking watch fire marshals are experienced and highly trained so will often be able to spot the more subtle indications that would otherwise go undetected until the situation had escalated out of control.

Evacuation

Should a fire be detected, waking watch officers will alert all residents to the situation immediately.

They will then oversee the safe evacuation of the building through established evacuation routes.

Once outside they will take attendance to ensure that all residents have managed to vacate the building and alert the emergency services if anyone is thought to still be inside.

Liaising with the emergency services

As soon as a fire is detected, waking watch officers will alert the fire service to the situation.

Once they arrive on the scene, fire marshals will give them a report on the current state of the crisis, including the location of the fire and the progress of the evacuation.

This could save crucial time and allow the fire service to respond in the most effective manner.

Improving the building’s fire safety

A waking watch officer is just as effective in preventing fires as they are in responding to them.

During their patrols, waking watch officers will keep an eye out for any potential fire safety hazards that could either result in a fire, increase the speed at which it spreads, or may impede with an evacuation.

They will then either resolve the issue themselves or make recommendations to the building management.

Some of the most common potential hazards a waking watch officer may spot, could include a fire door which is wedged open, or obstacles in hallways that are blocking essential fire escape routes.

Following their patrols, waking watch officers will also submit detailed reports of their findings and observations which can then be used to help fine-tune the fire safety protocols in the future.

Educating residents

No matter how effective a waking watch service is, a successful evacuation relies on the cooperation and responsiveness of the residents themselves.

Waking watch officers will help building management to develop a carefully designed bespoke fire safety plan for the property and assist with its distribution among residents.

They will also be on hand at all times should any residents have queries or concerns about the precautions in place or what they should do in the event of a fire.

Monitoring alarm systems

Whilst continually patrols can be effective in identifying fires, this is the 21^st century and any competent modern security team will utilise the latest fire detection equipment available to them.

Prime Secure Waking Watch officers will have full access to your building’s fire alarm system, giving them instant notice should an internal fire be detected on site.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/RjgBa5SwhIU

4 essential steps to buying a hot tub spa

July 12, 2022

| No Comments

| MartinDomm

| 10:24 am

Hot tubs are a fun and exciting way to experience your outdoor space like never before.

With so many different brands and types on the market it can be hard to know where to start with your search, however.

Follow this simple guide to the 4 key steps in narrowing your search and identifying your dream home spa today.

1. Establish what you are looking for

Hot tubs come in all shapes and sizes and before you can find the perfect product it is important to narrow down exactly what it is you looking for.

The benefits of hot tub usage are widespread and varied.

A high-quality hot tub, for example, can be a fantastic way to improve your physical wellbeing.

Some of the main health benefits of a hot tub include:

Improving range of motion
Increasing joint flexibility
Burning calories
Improving sleep quality
Reducing headaches

The mental health benefits of unwinding in a hot tub are just as extensive, as feeling better physically can help to reduce anxiety, tackle depression, and build self-confidence.

A larger hot tub with room for a number of individuals can also become a social hub, helping to bring together family and friends, build relationships and promote open conversations.

Once you have decided upon which of these many different advantages of owning a hot tub are most important to you, you will be able to fine-tune your search and secure your new tub in no time at all.

2. Choose the right brand

There are an almost unlimited number of options when it comes to choosing a hot tub with many different brands offering massive ranges of spas that vary in size, price, and features.

When choosing the company to purchase your hot tub from, these are a few important points to consider:

Reviews

Reviews are the easiest way to get an idea of a brand’s reputation and gain some peace of mind that you are purchasing a quality product.

Make sure to read both the positive and negative reviews and stick to verified buyer reviews only.

Options Available

The ability to customise and create bespoke hot tubs, choosing from a number of different designs and additional features is hugely attractive as this allows you to end up with the perfect final product.

Look for a brand that offers an extensive range of features with their hot tubs such as massage jets, aromatherapy, Bluetooth speaker systems, LED lighting, and more.

Energy efficiency

Flashing lights and massage jets are fabulous, but much less enjoyable if they come attached to an extremely large energy bill.

Poorly insulated hot tubs can be dreadful for leaking heat, taking longer to heat the water within the tub to your desired temperature and requiring much more energy to keep it there.

Always check that the brand of hot tub you choose offers excellent energy efficiency ratings, can be equipped with an energy saving cover, and is fitted with full foam insulation.

3. Choose a location

The type and size of the hot tubs you are able to choose from will be defined by the location you want the spa installed in.

In general, most people choose to have freestanding tubs installed on a patio or decking although so types can also be installed fully or partially in ground.

By taking the measurements of your chosen spot, you will be able to filter your search to those exact parameters.

Allow some additional space in these calculations for steps or maintenance access if required.

To give you a general idea of the sort of space that will be required, hot tubs tend to vary between 7’-8’ feet in length and width.

As well as the technical practicalities of choosing a location for your hot tub, remember that this is going to be a space for relaxation and enjoyment.

Choose a spot with the best views possible, in a private spot that cannot be seen by neighbours if possible.

Consider whether additional garden furniture can be placed nearby to accommodate a larger number of people when entertaining, allowing your hot tub to become the focal point of social occasions.

4. Choose your Features

The features that you choose when designing a bespoke hot tub are key to making it your own.

Some of the most popular features available in modern Hot Tubs for sale Glasgow include:

Massage Jets – No hot tub is complete without water jets which will be fired from nozzles located on the sides and bottom of the spa. These bubbles create a massaging effect upon impact helping to relax and soothe aching muscles.
Bluetooth audio – An in-built speaker system will ensure your tub becomes the hub of any social event.
Aromatherapy – Add a whole new set of sensations to your hot tub session by introducing a chosen aroma into the water through the air massage circuit.
LED lighting – Set the perfect mood no matter the occasion with ambient LED lighting installed controlled either via mobile app or through controls on the side of the spa.

Contact Bubble Box Today

For more information on hot tub features, or for information on any of our products contact Bubble Box today on 01505 850 325.

https://www.youtube.com/embed/eq044309x3k

Why do I need a Divorce Solicitor?

June 2, 2022

| No Comments

| MartinDomm

| 11:11 am

Legally there is no requirement for you or your ex-spouse to have a divorce solicitor when ending your marriage – but divorce should be understood as the end of a financial and legal contract (marriage).

And when it comes to the end of a financial and or legal contract, you will want the best legal and financial advice possible. Otherwise, you could find yourself dealing with serious difficulties in the future with your ex-spouse. While you can try and handle this yourself, many people look for expert advice to help them navigate this potentially difficult time.

In this article, we’ll examine the benefits and advantages of getting a divorce lawyer and the pitfalls of not using one.

Can’t I do it myself?

You are under no legal obligation to get a solicitor and you can freely attempt to manage a divorce on your own.

This means you will have to handle all the relevant paperwork, documents, and the division of assets.

Some couples hope to save money by getting a divorce with no lawyer involved.

This is not advised however, because divorces are complex legal and financial arrangements which require you to go through a huge amount of paperwork.

Errors with the paperwork will see it returned to you and force you to do it again – which can prolong the process significantly.

This is not to mention the process of organising finances and assets and ensure everything is in place so that you are not tripped up by issues in the future. There is ultimately no guarantee you will save any amount of money by not going with a solicitor, and there’s even the possibility you will lose money in the long-term by attempting a ‘DIY divorce’.

One of the worst mistakes that can occur is making financial choices with your divorce which results in losses in the future.

Mismanagement of your divorce could cost you seriously and end up being a major issue.

What if both people consent to the divorce?

A common question that is asked is what if both sides in a divorce case consent - do they still require a solicitor?

It’s always preferable to resolve a divorce in amicable matter – especially regarding children and assets being divided up. This is the kind of divorce which involves minimal stress and disruption, but it would be wrong to assume in this case you do not need a solicitor or the kind of expert advice they can offer you regarding financial matters or assets. There are a variety of important issues to consider, and some of the questions you will have to ask include,

Do I have accurate values for these assets?

Do you know what you are entitled to?

Do you know what you will need?

Do you know what your ex’s income is?

Do you know who is going to be responsible for any mortgages?

What assets do we have?

This is not to mention the matter of childcare and responsibilities.

It can be disastrous to attempt to manage this yourself only to realise later, once everything has been set in stone, that you have made a mistake.

This means that even if you are in full agreement with your partner, having the expert advice of a trained and experienced solicitor is invaluable as it will ensure you have a full understanding of what you are engaging with.

What if a disagreement arises? Is an amicable separation possible?

There is also another matter you need to consider – will the divorce remain amicable? When discussing these issues, many divorces become acrimonious and difficult and often the intended ‘clean break’ becomes particularly messy. This is unfortunate, but not uncommon, and it must be prepared for if you are looking to divorce a partner.

It is possible for an amicable separation to occur and for both parties involved to receive a settlement they are happy with but even in these cases having the advice of a specialist in family law is incredibly important. A good family law and divorce solicitor aims to settle things and avoid anything going to court always amicably.

It is important to always get legal advice before agreeing to any terms of a settlement to ensure you understand them – as otherwise you may be agreeing to a deal which is incredible bad for you.

Legal advice can prevent you from having to deal with serious pitfalls and allow you to get the best possible separation.

Other Advantages of a Solicitor

By going with a solicitor at oraclelaw.com, you gain a huge number of benefits,

Advice and assistance during negotiations and mediation

All paperwork is dealt with by a professional – reducing any stress or confusion

If assets are particularly complex, a solicitor can break matters down for you

The divorce process is organised and handled by a professional who has experience in handling these cases

https://www.youtube.com/embed/F8T7QG5se24

Air Source Heat Pump Grants Scotland

December 21, 2021

| No Comments

| MartinDomm

| 6:01 pm

Heat Pumps have become one of the most popular options in Scotland for providing the home with renewable energy.

Heat Pumps are popular for many reasons. They’re great for cutting down carbon emissions, since they require only a small amount of electricity to operate and instead of burning fuel or converting energy, simply move warm air into your home. They don’t require much maintenance – especially when compared with boilers, and thirdly, they’re excellent for cutting down costly heating and energy bills.

But a lot of people are interested in knowing about the Grants and Financial Assistance available for Heat Pumps. There’s currently a range of different options available. In this article we’ll detail what they are and who’s eligible for them.

The Renewable Heat Incentive

The Renewable Heat Incentive, while not a proper grant, is still an important financial incentive concerning heat pumps (and renewable heating in general). It’s by far the most significant financial incentive in the UK for renewable heating.

The RHI was set up in 2014 as part of the government’s effort to reduce greenhouse gasses. It’s a reward scheme which provides payments to people with a renewable system. This includes Air Source Heat Pumps Scotland if they are Air to Water style Pumps. Systems eligible for the RHI include,

Ground to Water Heat pumps
Air to Water Heat Pumps
Biomass Boilers and Pellet Stoves
Solar Panels (when used for hot water)

Air to Air style pumps isn’t eligible; they do not provide hot water and are used alongside a boiler.

The RHI works by providing quarterly payments to owners of renewable heating systems – including Air Source Heat Pumps. The payment size depends on a range of factors, including the size of your home, the renewable energy generated, and the kind of system you are replacing. Payments can range from anywhere between £500 and £2,900 – with the UK government providing a helpful calculator for estimating the amount you’ll end up receiving.

The RHI isn’t a grant as the payments come after you’ve purchased and installed the system, but at the same time it’s a major asset and a great way to reimburse the costs of the initial installation. RHI requires you to install a Microgeneration Certification Scheme certified product.

This requirement means it’s very important to ALWAYS make use of a MCS certified business and product, since otherwise you’ll be unable to gain access to RHI.

Up Front Grants and Loans

While RHI can provide money back over time, it isn’t an upfront loan. However, Scottish installers of Air Source Heat Pumps can access a range of grants, loans, and other options to help finance their installation. We’ll go through some of the bigger options available to those interested in Heat Pumps.

Assignment of Rights

One option is the Assignment of Rights (AoR). This can help you with funding before the homeowner has the heat pump installed. It allows you to assign the rights of the homer owners Heat Source Pump to an investor, who can help fund the heat pump purchase. They will receive the RHI payments instead of the homeowner, in this case.

Even though you won’t receive the payments, the homeowner still benefits significantly from the huge overall savings.

This isn’t the only option available. There are some other avenues which can be taken to finance an Air Source Heat Pump.

Home Energy Scotland Loan

Another option is the Home Energy Scotland Loan, available to Homeowners in Scotland. This is an interest free loan from the Scottish government and can offer up to £10,000 (interest free) for an Air Source Heat Pump system. This will cover a significant chunk of the cost of installing a system. The Home Energy Loan is available to both homeowners and private landlords in Scotland.

It’s furthermore possible in some cases to combine the Loan with other loans and schemes. However, you should always make sure to check if this is possible before making multiple applications. This can make installing and investing in an Air Source Heat Pump relatively easy overall.

Warmer Homes Scotland Scheme

The Warmer Homes Scotland Scheme is aimed at people who are either in low-income households or ae classed as vulnerable, and who are struggling to heat their home. Depending on the kind of improvements that will be carried out, the government will either cover the costs or provide an interest free loan.

To be eligible someone must either be a homeowner or tenants of a private sector landlord, live in the home as their main residence and lived within it for 12 months. The home must have an energy rating of 67 (or lower), and they cannot have received previous assistance from the scheme in the last 5 years.

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