Government to restrict new sales of towel rails and underfloor heating

The Government is working on new energy-efficiency rules that would ban new sales of or restrict more than a third of ‘space heating systems’ – including many towel rails, gas fires and under-floor heating systems

The Government is drawing up plans that would prohibit devices such as underfloor heating and towel rails. Proposed new energy-efficiency regulations would also outlaw or place restrictions on half of all gas fires and storage heaters.

According to the Telegraph, the rules would render more than a third of ‘space heating systems’ illegal to sell. Devices would be required to feature heating controls and timing controls, meaning they could only operate for a specified number of hours and under conditions in which they function efficiently.

The EU has already implemented comparable restrictions. The change will follow a similar ban on tumble dryers.

From January 19, 2027, the sale of new air-vented, condenser, and gas-fired tumble dryers will be prohibited in Great Britain. The regulations, introduced by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, set minimum energy performance standards so stringent that only highly efficient heat pump tumble dryers will be permitted for sale as new models.

Claire Coutinho, shadow energy secretary, told The Telegraph: “Ed Miliband wants to tell you how long your towel rail can be switched on. He’s already decided how you are allowed to dry your pyjamas and now he wants to make it harder to have underfloor heating in your home.”

The new regulations would prohibit approximately half of all current underfloor heating and towel rail systems, along with between 17 per cent and 27 per cent of gas heaters, reports the Mirror. The Government clarified that the ban applies solely to new sales, leaving existing systems and heaters already in use unaffected.

Under the new regulations, towel rails will be restricted to operating for no more than six hours daily, while fires and electric storage heaters will be required to feature temperature controls and power-saving modes.

A Department for Energy Security and Net Zero spokesman said: “Our reforms will save households money by improving the energy efficiency of underfloor heating, towel rails and storage heaters.”