Residents living in late-Victorian terraced homes in Walton and Kirkdale, Liverpool, are sharing the real-life impact of a major retrofit programme. Customers have already reported a range of positive outcomes, from considerably warmer rooms and lower heating use through to draughts that have completely disappeared.
The feedback comes as Sustainable Building Services (UK) continues improvement works across 343 properties managed by housing association Onward Homes, supported by funding through Wave 3 of the Warm Homes: Social Housing Fund. The £9.5 million programme, procured via the Fusion21 Decarbonisation Framework, focuses on some of Onward’s oldest homes – energy-inefficient late-Victorian terraces in Liverpool that were built between 100 and 150 years ago.
Samuel, who has lived in his property for 16 years, described the immediate difference, “We can feel the heat in the house now. We had cold draughts throughout the property before, but since we’ve had the thermal insulation installed, we don’t feel these as much – and the curtains certainly don’t move any more. When we put the heating on now, as soon as the house is warmed up, the boiler won’t come on for two or three hours.”
Another resident, Myra, was equally positive. She said, “During the work that the team did, they made sure they were in and out in a day, it was just tremendous. Our customer liaison officer at SBS was excellent, I’d only have to ring up, and she’d sort queries out straight away.”
All 343 homes are currently being elevated to an EPC C rating or better, through works including cavity, external and internal wall insulation, replacement windows and doors and roof alterations. Given the age and architectural character of the homes, the team is taking a tailored approach to the front elevations – applying insulation selectively to window reveals to preserve the original brick facades while still improving thermal performance.
Engaging residents from the outset has been central to the programme’s success. Prior to works starting, both Onward and SBS conducted door-knocking exercises across both neighbourhoods to explain the planned measures and introduce the contractor, as well as holding drop-in sessions for residents to ask questions. A dedicated SBS customer liaison officer has served as a primary point of contact throughout delivery alongside Onward’s own retrofit customer lead, ensuring residents felt informed and supported at every stage of the process.
The scheme has also generated wider benefits for the local community. SBS recruited labourers through Everton in the Community, a local employment hub, with further roles expected to be filled as the programme progresses. The team has also made improvements to the garden spaces at the Our House Walton Community Hub.
Ross Bagnall, retrofit assistant project manager at Onward Homes, said: “As well as making our customers’ homes more affordable to run, we know that our investment can have broader benefits. Our partnership with Liverpool City Council and SBS is ensuring that a positive legacy is left that extends beyond our customers’ homes – with improvements for local waste management services and opportunities for owner-occupiers to be involved in a whole neighbourhood approach to retrofit – so it’s not only our tenants that will benefit”
Ian Jones, regional director at SBS, said: “Liverpool is an important region within our growth plan, while it holds additional significance because many of our team are from these local communities.
“Residents have been sharing positive feedback on the immediate impacts, from thermal comfort to greater soundproofing and improved property appearance, which is further motivation to leave areas in a better state than we entered them.”
The ongoing programme is expected to be completed in March 2028.
