1,960 people in Czechia have so far used preferential loans for more energy-efficient homes

So far, 1,960 people have used preferential loans from building societies for more energy-efficient homes, equivalent to roughly one-sixth of the grants awarded under the Renovate Grandma’s House programme. Environment Minister Petr Hladík (KDU-ČSL) told reporters today. On average, people borrow 1.5 million korunas, with a repayment term of around 19 years. According to Hladík, these loan terms make energy renovations possible even for households that could not afford them without support.

The state agreed with the Association of Czech Building Societies (AČSS) to provide preferential loans for energy renovations two years ago, and Hladík is satisfied with how the programme has worked so far. “For households, this means easier access to renovations for people on middle incomes. For the state, the benefit is a faster pace of renovations,” the minister said.

He stressed that a long-term loan makes it possible to keep monthly repayments low. “In practice, people repay building societies an amount equal to what they save each month on heating and hot water bills. It improves the comfort of their homes, while adding nothing to the family budget,” the minister noted.