A home’s energy efficiency is calculated by undertaking a survey to create an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) An EPC has been a legal requirement whenever a home is built, leased, or sold since 2007. The EPC creates a score for the home between 0 to 100. The higher the score, the more energy efficient the home will be, requiring less energy (and cost) to heat and keep warm. These scores are split into bands between A to G, with A being the most energy efficient and G being the least.

The Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund (SHDF) is a government initiative designed to improve the energy efficiency of social housing. Riverside has received a total of £13m funding as of March 2025 from SHDF to deliver improvements, matching and exceeding that funding amount ourselves. Further bids for more funding are also in progress.

The Energy Company Obligation (ECO) is another government funding scheme that ensures energy companies have to contribute to helping households reduce their energy consumption by funding energy-saving upgrades. Riverside is currently exploring ways in which we can bid for this funding.

Nothing at all. The only thing we need is for you to work with us if you are eligible, for example, speaking to us to discuss the measures we could take to make your home more energy efficient and allowing us access to your home for surveys and to do the work.

Initial surveys will be conducted by our contractors, followed by visits from our Riverside Retrofit Co-ordinators.

All team members will carry company ID cards. Please feel free to ask them to show these IDs upon arrival to verify their credentials.

Each visit should take 30-45 minutes depending on the scope of assessment.

To schedule your home survey, we offer flexible timing with morning 8am-1pm and afternoon 1pm-4:30pm slots available. We will make every effort to consider your availability, such as school runs or preferred times, ensuring the process is as convenient for you as possible.

The home survey team will assess the condition of your property, including heating and ventilation systems and energy usage through bills or meter readings. They will also take photographs and discuss any specific improvement needs you might have.

Please ensure that all areas of your property are accessible, including external spaces, loft spaces, and utility cupboards. This will help the survey process to be as efficient as possible.

The duration of the process can vary significantly, ranging from a few days to several months, depending on the extent of the improvements being made. We commit to keeping you fully informed throughout each stage of the process and are always available to answer any questions you might have to ensure a smooth and transparent experience.

You will receive a letter, email, or a call from our Retrofit team, notifying you whether your property has been selected for retrofit works.

The improvements are designed to make your home warmer and more energy-efficient, which can lead to lower energy consumption and contribute to environmental sustainability.

You should contact the Retrofit Advisors directly. Their contact details can be found at the bottom of the engagement day letter, or you can request these details through our customer service.

For assistance with energy bills, please reach out to our Let’s Talk Energy team. You can fill in a form on our app or on our website to book an appointment or call us. If you are dealing with condensation, Damp, Mold, or heating issues, don’t contact the Let’s Talk Energy team – report a repair instead. You can do that in the same ways.

For immediate tips on reducing your energy bills, view the tips within our Climate Plan.