It is being proposed to extend the deadline for Renewable Heat Incentive commissioning for another year, but only for Non Domestic premises, i.e. businesses.

The justification for this extension is the unfair supply situation caused by the pandemic, which is leading to a shortage of essential components for heat pumps and which could lead to some installation projects being late for the registration deadline at the end of March 2022.

We propose that this extension should also apply to Domestic installations (i.e. people's homes) as they are equally affected by the current supply situation.  Otherwise, a number of current installation projects that homeowners are already signed up to, but which may now extend beyong the deadline, will be in jeopardy.  They will have to be either abandoned at a loss to the suppliers and houseowners involved, or will be continued under the wholly inadequate new provision (heat Pump Grant) due to come into force at the end of March 2022.

Apart from being unfair to homeowners, who in many cases are the driving force behind the change towards sustainable home heating, there is a very real chance of abandoned installation projects leading to economic loss due to cost of surveys, planning applications and other preparations already undertaken.