Gentoo announces £43m Sunderland home improvements for thousands of residents

Housing association Gentoo says nearly 6,000 homes and 140 buildings across Sunderland will benefit from home improvements in a multi-million-pound investment plan for 2024-25.

The £42.9 million plan will see 6,644 customers benefit from home improvements, ranging from loft insulation top-ups to new kitchens and bathrooms.

It will also see work on ongoing programmes completed, such as the replacement of Washington’s district heating system and the Pennywell whole-house improvement scheme.

The works, to be carried out by Gentoo contractors, also include:

Painting the outside of properties, roof replacements and external improvements, installing new boilers and heating systems, energy efficiency improvements including loft insulation, garage demolitions, fire alarm replacements and electrical rewires.

As part a drive to reduce carbon emissions in Sunderland, this year’s investment plan has a large focus on improving the energy efficiencies of properties by giving customers the option of removing fires and topping up loft insulation.

The scheme, which is part funded through the government’s Social Housing Decarbonisation Fund, is part of Gentoo’s efforts to improve the energy efficiency rating of its properties.

An improved Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) energy efficiency rating means properties will require less energy or heat to run. Gentoo wants all of its properties to have an (EPC) rating of at least C by 2030.

A C rating is given to a home built using energy efficient building methods or one which has undergone renovation work aimed at increasing its energy efficiency.

Marc Edwards, Gentoo director of Asset and Sustainability said: “I’m thrilled to be able to share details of Gentoo’s 2024-25 investment plan.

“The 2024/25 investment plan has a huge emphasis on making Gentoo properties more energy efficient, which in return will help lower the cost of customer’s fuel bills.

“We’re looking forward to working with a range of contractors to deliver the work and ensure our customers have a safe place to live that they are proud to call home."

All customers whose homes are part of this year’s investment plan should have already received a letter on the matter.

A list of schemes and the properties included is at www.gentoogroup.com/investmentplan24/25.