Savings 2021: New extension for homeowners – What are the conditions

The total budget of the programme amounts to €632 million. Euro

A new extension, namely until 15 March 2022, has been granted to homeowners for the current “ExoEconomy 2021” scheme.

 

According to the Ministry of Environment and Energy, however, the second extension (the current one expires on 15 February – it normally expired on 31 January) is given to “facilitate the submission of applications, due to the exceptional circumstances that prevailed in the first month of the programme’s launch”.

 

Interventions

In any case, the interventions that give the greatest energy savings and significantly upgrade the home energy-wise are insulation, solar hot water and the replacement of the heating system with an independent heating system, such as a gas boiler or heat pump.

The most important criterion for the scoring of applications is the estimated annual energy savings based on the proposed cost of interventions at 50%, followed by individual or family income at 15%.

For households with individual incomes up to €5,000 and family incomes up to €10,000, the subsidy is 75%. For these households, the possibility of issuing an interest-free loan guaranteed by the State for the percentage of the equity participation is provided. The bet for the current programme is to upgrade for the first time around 50,000 homes, 38% more than in the previous cycle, in a fairer process, which is why energy, economic and social criteria have been introduced.

 

Beneficiaries – Incentives

Natural persons who have a lien on an eligible home are eligible to participate in the programme. The right in rem (full ownership / usufruct / small ownership) of the applicant must exist in the reference year of the programme (tax year 2020), as well as at the time of submission of the application.

If there are several beneficiaries of rights in rem (co-owners) in an eligible dwelling, if the main use of the dwelling under application is by one of the co-owners, only the co-owner who owns the dwelling is eligible to participate in the programme.

 

If the main use of the residence under application is for another person who is not a co-owner (free concession/rental), any of the co-owners with full ownership/ usufruct in rem (not fractional ownership) is entitled to participate in the scheme.

The main use of the home is recorded in the user’s income tax return within the last 3 years, with priority given to the reference year (tax year 2020).

If the income tax return data for the reference year show that the property was not in use (empty apartment, empty house) in the tax year in question, the documentation of one of the two previous tax years will be used to certify the main use of the property.

If the residence has been acquired after 31.12.2020 (recent acquisition of property), a written commitment for its main use will be requested.

The provisions of Regulation 1407/2013 of the European Commission on de minimis aid apply to rental housing, where the cumulation limits are set. Homes using short-term rental are not eligible.

 

Conditions

There are 2 distinct types of applications under the programme:

– Application for an individual apartment or single-family house.

– Condominium application (including applications of apartments as part of a condominium application).

Please note that under no circumstances are properties in the building that are not used for residential purposes (e.g. a shop on the ground floor of the building) eligible.

In order to be considered eligible, a dwelling must meet the following general conditions:

– To exist legally.

– Not to have been deemed demolishable.

– To be used as a main residence.

– Be classified on the basis of the A’ Energy Performance Certificate (A’ EPC) in a category lower or equal to C’.

 

Works

The interventions covered by the programme are:

1. Replacement of frames.
2. Installation / upgrade of thermal insulation.
3. Heating/cooling system upgrade.
4. ZNX system using Renewable Energy Sources (RES).
5. Other savings interventions (smart home, lighting upgrades).