The vast majority of households taking part in the government’s Boiler Upgrade Scheme are reporting high levels of satisfaction with their new low-carbon heating systems, according to new data from the certification body MCS.

Figures collected since the scheme launched in July 2022 show that 95% of participants said they were happy overall with their installation. The feedback focuses on the installation process rather than long-term performance, as households typically submit responses within a few months of the work being completed.

The outreach programme, while primarily focussed on monitoring for fraudulent activity, allows MCS to assess the homeowner’s experience of the installation. As part of the survey, consumers are asked if they ‘are happy, overall, with their installation’.

More than 72,000 households have taken part in the scheme’s outreach so far. The vast majority of grants have been used to install heat pumps, with a smaller proportion supporting biomass boilers.

Despite the high satisfaction levels, the figures also point to cases where required standards were not met. In some instances, installers were found to be non-compliant with scheme rules, resulting in the suspension of their MCS certification and loss of access to the scheme.

Ian Rippin, CEO at MCS, says:

“It’s great to see that an overwhelming majority of consumers who have used the Boiler Upgrade Scheme to invest in home-grown energy are satisfied with their installation. This is a testament to the MCS installers working under the Boiler Upgrade Scheme, who are committed to upholding standards and raising the bar for quality across the industry.

“As the government’s sole certification scheme for clean heat measures, we look forward to continuing our mission in giving everyone confidence in home-grown energy and supporting the delivery of the expanded BUS scheme. Consumer protection is at the heart of MCS, and under the redeveloped installer Scheme, set to be rolled out throughout 2026 and into 2027, we will be conducting outreach to all customers who receive an MCS certified installation, further enhancing our ability to monitor the sector and provide protection to consumers.”

Image credit: Aira UK