Crystal Specialist Finance has partnered with Propflo to launch a one-stop shop for green home improvements.
Propflo’s ‘GreenVal’ tool will be promoted to landlords and brokers through the Crystal Specialist Finance website to help take the complexity out of making green home upgrades.
The government has pledged to reintroduce new minimum energy efficiency standards (MEES) requiring landlords to raise their energy performance certificate (EPC)rating to at least a C by 2030.
Previous proposals included a £10,000 cap on costs for landlords.
However, Propflo says landlords lacked information and described the process as “currently disjointed”.
Combining Propflo’s platform with the expertise of Crystal Specialist Finance will help provide a more seamless experience between guiding landlords through the improvement process and financing the works.
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With already complex regulation on landlords today and more changes on the horizon, Heather Cara,
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Another gap is that brokers are not necessarily experts on energy efficiency or MEES, so Crystal Specialist Finance will provide support to them.
Benefits of making properties more energy efficient
The GreenVal retrofit tool will help Crystal Specialist Finance customers to view the short- and long-term benefits and costs associated with making a property more energy efficient.
It will also get quotes for a wide range of home improvements, from accredited local and national suppliers.
In addition, it will explore low-cost and do-it-yourself improvement opportunities, available for direct purchase.
It can also gain insight into the impact a property can have on personal wellbeing, by rating contributing factors such as thermal comfort, air quality, and financial stability.
Mark Hutchings, head of strategy and group projects at Crystal Specialist Finance, said: “MEES is another challenge for landlords and we want to make sure they are supported to comply with these new standards with ease.
“Brokers are well positioned but don’t usually have the time during the mortgage process which is where we believe we can provide added value.
“We looked at a few options but the Propflo platform was clearly the most advanced and comprehensive solution on the market – Luke and his team have been great to work with.”
Luke Loveridge, founder and chief executive of Propflo, added: “Mark and the whole Crystal Specialist Finance team have been on the front foot and will gain significant experience in engaging landlords in energy efficiency compliance.
“These new regulations are coming and landlords need to be prepared, and using tools like ours will create a win-win for all stakeholders.”
