The great heat pump revolt: Couple forced to use plug in radiators and man ... trends now

Homeowners are being forced to use plug in radiators and log burners to keep their houses warm amid rising fury over heat pumps.

The government's Boiler Upgrade Scheme, launched last May, offers grants of up to £6,000 if homeowners rip out their gas boiler and install an air or ground source heat pump.

But families who have purchased homes with heat pumps already installed - or bought new builds where pumps were part of the package - say they have encountered a litany of problems associated with the technology.

Some have got so fed up with them they have had them removed, or resorted to installing additional heating systems to step in when the pumps don't generate enough heat. 

Rita Trotman, 76, lives a barn conversion bungalow near Torquay with her husband Eric.

They had a heat pump installed four years ago, but have been waiting five months to have for a repair job after it broke down in November, leaving the couple having to use blankets to keep warm in the evenings.

She told MailOnline: 'Our heat pump broke down in November and we have had to buy two little plug-in radiators to keep warm. My husband and I sit tightly under a blanket to watch TV in the evening. 

'We have had four different parts fitted to try and fix it, but the third part blew the first and then the fourth part blew the whole thing.

'Now we are going to have to buy a whole new one. You buy a heat pump because you want to be green and part of this Government scheme, and then if something happens to it you are stuck in this situation.

'We live in a barn conversion bungalow. We had actually been happy with it, but it is just that if anything goes wrong, it is a nightmare trying to get it fixed. 

'The repair bill will be as much as what it will cost to install a new one. The country has not got the engineers or experts to help deliver the government scheme.

'I know they (the Government) are pushing it, but you take the money to do something green and if something goes wrong you end up here. I would say we have been extremely patient - we are in our fifth month now and it is yet to be fixed.' 

Many of the critics are knowledgeable. They include retired engineers and current installers of heat pumps.

Ed Gyseman, 60, is a retired engineer living in a seven-bedroom house in Tenby, south west Wales.

He said: 'I removed my 30-year-old gas back boiler and installed a heat pump last August. I knew the increased cost of gas was going to be significant and with the age of my boiler - the cost was going to be phenomenal. 

'I decided to go for a heat pump, which used a third of the energy, but the energy that it does use costs me three times more, so it is a catch-22.

'We have two chimneys, so I have installed a log fired back boiler and a log fired cooker to help heat the house. They are fine, but I now spend three hours a week chopping wood. 

'We wake up every morning to a cold house, so we have to put on fleeces and extra layers like the old days. Relying solely on a heat pump would cost me a fortune.

'If the air is dry, like in Finland and Norway, it is fine. But here it is wet and miserable, so they will freeze up often, then they have to work harder to unfreeze themselves, which uses more energy. I think (installing one) is a folly idea.' 

Some believe the Government is now in danger of committing a mis-selling scandal to match that of the promotion of diesel cars in the early 2000s by the Labour government - even though diesel fuel was known to contain pollutants harmful to health.

Ian Howard and his wife Carole, 59, live in New Alresford, Hampshire, with a Ukrainian refugee mother and daughter.

He installed a heat pump to future proof his home during a renovation project, but has been left needing two log burners to keep his property warm.

Mr Howard added: 'You might as well be in a NASA spaceship when it comes to the controls.

'We were renovating our house and I attended an exhibition on alternative sources of energy. I knew there was a Government subsidy, so it seemed to be the right way to go. 

'I thought I was future proofing my home. We have been left with a property that is well insulated, but if I turn the heating up even slightly it will cost me £10,000 across the year.

'I am seriously thinking about switching back to a gas boiler, which will save me half on my bills. My heat pump costs me around £660 for each of the last two months and I have to use two log burners to keep the rest of my house warm. 

'If I did not have those, I would have to turn the heating up. which would cost me even more. I can sit in the lounge with the door shut, but if I go out into the hallway, it is cold.

'We have a Ukrainian mother and daughter living with us at the moment. Even they say to us about how cold it is.'

The best conditions for heat pumps

In defence of heat pumps, both users and installers say they perform well during certain times of the year — spring, summer and autumn (in other words, when they are least needed) — and are good for the environment.

They can also be quiet when new or if only low levels of power are required. But these advantages are outweighed by the negatives.

Heat pumps, typically installed outside at the back or side of a house, perform poorly in cold winter weather, especially if a home is inadequately insulated or the radiators are not big enough to give off sufficient heat.

Furthermore, when running at full power in winter or if key components (fan bearings for example) are suffering from wear and tear, the pumps can be noisy. Repairs are also expensive while the pumps are quite complex to operate.

I'm happy with my heat pump but would urge caution

Bill Griffiths bought a new build four-bedroom home four years ago, in a village close to Alfreton, Derbyshire. It came fitted with an air source pump.

Bill, a former chemist at nearby engineering giant Rolls-Royce, says he is generally happy with his heat pump, 'a hefty unit

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