Warm Beds scheme takes the heat out of tenants’ energy bill stress

An industry expert has teamed up with firefighters to support vulnerable tenants and homeowners through the energy crisis.

Tenancy mediator Julie Ford is working with Bedfordshire fire service to deliver the new Warm Beds project that will see volunteers visit people across the county to give them energy-saving advice and help them access funding to pay fuel bills.

Fuel poverty

Through her company Gothard Rowe, Ford has helped hundreds of landlords and letting agents whose tenants are in rent arrears to access grants, legacies and trusts to pay towards the rent debt. “Fuel poverty is something very close to my heart, having had my own experience of choosing between eating and heating at a time when I was relying on benefits,” she says.

The Warm Beds project is getting referrals from the current Safer homes scheme which sees local fire fighters and volunteers attend properties to assess fire safety, check and fit smoke alarms as well as set up ‘risk markers’ for emergency call centre operators about access issues. 

Meter readings

Ford and the team will provide support on a range of issues such as how to read and submit meter readings, giving energy-saving tips, signposting grants and adding them to the priority service register for their suppliers.

“We’re going to see people choose between paying bills and paying rent,” she tells LandlordZONE, “so landlords all over the UK could be proactive and give tenants a fact sheet with useful advice and numbers to call.”

Warm Beds is looking for volunteers to sign up and for local businesses to get involved in the project by contacting advice@gothardrowe.com