Scottish Borders — Heating Finance & Heat Pumps

What housing types do we survey in the Borders?

The Borders has a high proportion of stone-built cottages, Victorian terraces in the market towns, and farmhouses scattered across the rural landscape. Many of these properties have solid walls and are off the gas grid.

Stone cottages are characteristic of the Borders — they are charming but have poor insulation due to solid wall construction. Heat loss is higher than in modern cavity-wall properties, so the survey is essential to size the heating system correctly. In market towns like Galashiels, Hawick and Kelso, Victorian terraces with mains gas are more common, and combi boiler replacements are straightforward. See what affects heating costs.

Are heat pumps suitable for Borders properties?

Yes, especially for off-gas-grid stone cottages and farmhouses currently using oil or LPG. The survey determines the correct system size and whether radiator upgrades are needed.

Many Borders properties are rural and off the gas grid, making air source heat pumps an attractive alternative to oil and LPG. The survey calculates heat loss, checks radiator sizing for lower flow temperatures, and assesses external space. For stone cottages with high heat loss, a hybrid system may be more appropriate than a standalone heat pump. See how the process works.

What areas do we cover in the Borders?

We cover Galashiels, Hawick, Peebles, Kelso, Jedburgh, Selkirk, Melrose, Eyemouth, Duns, Lauder, Innerleithen, Earlston, Coldstream and across the Borders region. See our full areas covered page.

How does the Borders winter affect heating?

The Borders experiences colder winters than the central belt, with inland valleys prone to frost pockets and temperatures regularly dropping below freezing. Heating systems must be sized for these conditions.

The survey uses an appropriate design outside temperature for the Borders, which is colder than Glasgow or Edinburgh. For rural farmhouses in exposed locations, wind chill is also a factor. A correctly sized heat pump or boiler, as confirmed by the survey, will keep the property warm reliably through a Borders winter. Interest-free credit up to £30,000, subject to status.