One of Scotland’s leading housing providers has launched a “groundbreaking” partnership with green retrofitting experts to deliver crucial energy-saving measures for their tenants.
Housing association Hanover Scotland is teaming up with the charity Changeworks to help ease financial burdens and boost energy efficiency for their residents. It will see tenants offered energy advice from retrofitting specialists Changeworks as well as tips to manage their energy bills.
As part of the partnership, tenants have already reported significant savings on their bills totalling up to more than £59,000 – and carbon savings of more than 80 tons. Esther Wilson, Hanover Scotland’s Director of Customer Services, said: “This collaboration comes at a very crucial time.
“With the ongoing economic situation and cost-of-living crisis, we are very much aware of the challenges our tenants face. As an organisation dedicated to their wellbeing, we have developed this collaboration with Changeworks to mitigate these impacts. By reducing energy costs, our tenants can reallocate their funds to other essential areas.”
She added: “This is just one of the many ways we fulfil our mission to meet the diverse support needs of our tenants, providing them with good value for money and not compromising on innovation and sustainability standards.”
One beneficiary of the partnership was 93-year-old Madelaine ,who lives on her own. She had recently received bills from her energy supplier totalling more than £4000 and was being chased for repayment.
After a discussion with one of the Changeworks advisors, Madelaine received the support she needed to correct her bills, with the adjusted bill even giving her a credit balance of £706. Hanover Scotland specialises in meeting the housing needs of mainly older people, managing more than 4500 homes throughout the country.
Changeworks is an environmental charity with more than 35 years of expertise dedicated to tackling fuel poverty and improving energy efficiency, including through insulation and low-carbon energy options like heat pumps and solar. Last year, it supported some 13,000 households across Scotland to make energy and home upgrades.
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