Last week, we caught up with one of our recent customers Renata, who has been in receipt of a brand new combination boiler, heating controls, ventilation, loft insulation, cavity wall insulation and internal wall insulation under the ECO4 grant.After suffering a serious back injury, Renata left her home in London to stay with a friend in Wales while she recovered. What started as a short stay turned into a new chapter of her life. She fell in love with the community and the countryside and decided to make Wales her permanent home.
When she bought a house in Pontyberem, it needed a lot of work to make it warm and comfortable. The property had no proper heating system, and the cold and damp were going to be a serious issue.
“I love warm and I hate the cold!” Renata laughed. “Even in the summer I wear socks to bed! So having a warm home was really important to me.”
During her the early stages of her renovations, Renata came across Stellar Energy and the ECO4 scheme, which helps homeowners and tenants make their homes energy efficient, warmer and cheaper to run. But at first, she didn’t think she would qualify.
“I was told that if I’m not on benefits, I’m not eligible,” she explained. “I didn’t believe that it was completely free, I thought there was a catch somewhere…”
For Renata, the support couldn’t have come at a better time.
“It’s really helpful when you’re struggling with money,” she shared. “I broke my spine, so I didn’t know how long I could cope on sick pay. The fact that it was free was very, very helpful.”
After speaking to the team, Renata was pleasantly surprised to learn she did qualify through the local authority flex route.
“Communication was brilliant,” she said. “Ali was constantly in touch with me, so it was step by step. Every time they explained to me what I had to do next.”
The results were immediate.
“I’m very happy and it’s so nice and lovely. The heating is working beautifully for me, it’s more than sufficient. Before, there was cold and damp, which the ventilation has definitely helped with.”
Now that these measures have been installed, Renata can finally finish the renovations, and have a warm, comfortable home she can truly enjoy. She encourages others not to hesitate pursuing the grant.
“Go for it,” she said. “If you’re unsure, just go for it!”
At Stellar Energy, we’re proud to help people like Renata across the country, make their homes warmer and more comfortable through the ECO4 scheme.
You can find out if you qualify today, by checking on this website, or calling u sat 01554 788766. Start your retrofit journey today.