Heat pump quote red flags: the seven warning signs

What to know first

This summary covers the main checks to make before accepting an air source heat pump quote.

A polished quote can still be weak. What matters is whether the price follows a sound property assessment and whether the scope, assumptions and risks are clear.

MCS permits some detailed design work after a contract is agreed. However, a performance estimate and minimum technical information are required before the contract. Room losses and heat-emitter details are required before installation.

Most checks in this article concern air-to-water heat pumps, which supply radiators or underfloor heating. Air-to-air systems use indoor fan units, so the design should instead identify the rooms served and the proposed indoor units.

A rough estimate is not the same as a final quote

An installer may use floor area, photographs or an Energy Performance Certificate to give an early budget range. That is reasonable if the figure is clearly provisional. However, MCS says the annual heat-demand figure on an Energy Performance Certificate is not appropriate for sizing the heat pump.

It becomes a red flag when the installer selects the final size, promises performance or asks for a binding commitment without enough property detail. Ofgem’s current Boiler Upgrade Scheme guidance says:

Seven heat pump quote red flags to check

This table is a starting point. Several gaps together suggest that the quote is not ready to sign.

These checks reflect current Ofgem quotation expectations, MCS design requirements, Renewable Energy Consumer Code obligations and UK unfair-commercial-practices guidance. RECC obligations apply specifically to its members, while consumer law applies more broadly.

Expert insight

“A remote estimate can help with budgeting. It should not be treated as a settled design price until the installer has verified the home, heat loss and included work.”

Giles Crosse

Energy Editor

Experienced editor, journalist and communications consultant specialising in consumer energy and low carbon technologies.

• Editor and campaign author for Shell, EDF Energy and Good Energy.
• Consultant to the United Nations and contributor to the World Economic Forum.
• Journalist for Reuters, the BBC, The Economist and The Guardian.

More about Giles Crosse

Check the design evidence, not just the product

Room-by-room heat loss estimates how quickly each space loses heat on a cold design day. It considers walls, windows, floors, ceilings, ventilation and intended room temperatures, not just square metres.

The result should be matched to radiators, underfloor heating or other heat emitters. The design should also state the flow temperature, meaning the temperature of the water leaving the heat pump for the heating system.

MCS MIS 3005-D Issue 3.0 requires customers to receive specific room losses, emitter types and dimensions, the worst-room emitter temperature and design flow temperature before installation. A high seasonal coefficient of performance, or SCoP, cannot compensate for weak design. SCoP is a standardised annual efficiency estimate, not a household bill promise.

Make the price and grant treatment easy to audit

Energy Saving Trust put a typical air source heat pump installation at around £12,000 on 16 July 2026. This is an indication, not a fixed price. Property size, design and radiator work can change the total.

A useful quote separates the heat pump, cylinder, controls, emitters, pipework, electrics, outdoor base, access equipment, removal, commissioning and warranties. It should identify taxes, subcontracted work and exclusions. Any provisional sum should have a value and a clear basis for adjustment. RECC requires its members to provide itemised quotations and follow a “no surprises” pricing policy.

Good to know

In England and Wales, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme is installer-led and the full grant must be deducted upfront. As checked on 12 August 2026, grants include £7,500 for air-to-water heat pumps and £2,500 for eligible residential air-to-air systems. A temporary £9,000 rate applies to eligible off-gas properties replacing oil or LPG with an air-to-water or ground-source system, for applications properly made from 21 July 2026 to 31 March 2027. Ofgem confirms eligibility only after an application.

The quote should show the pre-discount total, grant and balance. The contract should say what happens if the application is rejected or a voucher is revoked. A salesperson cannot guarantee scheme approval.

Funding differs across the UK. Scotland has a separate Home Energy Scotland Grant and Loan, with its own eligibility and written-offer rules; applicants must not start work before receiving a written funding offer. The Boiler Upgrade Scheme does not cover Northern Ireland, where NI Energy Advice is the official service for checking current support.

Treat savings claims and sales pressure separately

A useful bill-impact estimate identifies current fuel use, the system being replaced, the electricity tariff, expected performance, hot-water demand and any supplementary heating. RECC requires member estimates to be property-specific or to disclose the assumptions behind standardised figures.

MCS warns that performance and running costs cannot be predicted with certainty:

A separate contractual performance promise should define the measurement method, exclusions and remedy.

Current UK rules prohibit aggressive or misleading commercial practices, including certain forms of pressure selling and false limited-time claims. GOV.UK also advises consumers that installers should not press them to sign or offer a cheaper deal only for agreeing that day.

Check permissions and omitted work

The quote should say who handles planning, noise assessment, building regulations, electricity-network requirements and any freeholder or conservation consent. Rules differ by UK nation and property, so “planning permission is never needed” is too broad. Check whether electrical upgrades, drainage, pipe insulation, scaffolding and making good are included.

How to compare heat pump quotes

1. Give each installer the same brief. Use the same rooms, comfort expectations, hot-water needs and planned work.

2. Verify the business. Check current MCS certification and ask which approved consumer-protection arrangement covers the contract.

3. Compare the design basis. Review heat loss, capacity, flow temperature, emitter schedule, cylinder and controls.

4. Normalise the price. Compare the pre-grant total, grant, provisional sums, exclusions, payments and validity.

5. Test the forecast. Ask the installer to explain every performance and bill assumption.

6. Read change and cancellation terms. If detailed design changes the agreed design or performance estimate, MCS requires an updated estimate, contract variation and an opportunity to cancel without further cost.

Get more than one quote, but do not rank them on headline price alone. A higher quote may include work that another leaves open. GOV.UK recommends obtaining more than one quotation and checking MCS certification where government funding is involved.

Good to know

Many online, telephone and at-home home-improvement contracts have a 14-day cooling-off period. The exact right depends on how the contract was made and whether you asked for work to start, so check the cancellation notice.

When professional input may help

Use an MCS-certified installer or qualified heating engineer for design questions. An independent energy assessor may help with an unusual building. Contact the local planning authority, electricity network operator, freeholder or conservation officer where relevant.

For contract concerns, contact the installer, its consumer code or MCS as appropriate. Ofgem deals with the administration of the Boiler Upgrade Scheme rather than acting as the first route for an ordinary installer-contract dispute. Citizens Advice can explain consumer-law options.

Key takeaways

• Treat a floor-area price as provisional until the property and scope are checked.

• Look for room losses, emitter sizes and design flow temperature.

• Require clear provisional sums, exclusions and price-change terms.

• Do not rely on savings that omit tariff, usage and design assumptions.

• In England and Wales, the Boiler Upgrade Scheme grant is an upfront discount.

• Take time to compare documents; a same-day discount is not a reason to rush.

Frequently asked questions