The Green Deal

Rob Palgrave has passed on an article about the scope of the Green Deal

http://www.utilityweek.co.uk/news/green-deal-%E2%80%9Curgently-needs-to-be-reviewed%E2%80%9D/929552#.UlVRPVM9CLx

As a Green Deal Advisor I have been frustrated by the genesis of this scheme.  The intent is rational and feasable but I fear big business has got it’s claws into it and therefore it puts us (the advisors) in a difficult position.  We are independant assessors and advisors up to a point and then we are forced to put on another hat and become a seller.  I believe this is partly the reason why uptake has been slow.  The issues with software mean that the transferability of the assessment is limited and down to the whim of the provider as to what they will accept.  So a customer who has signed up for an assessment is now faced with something with limited transferability and also has to deal with the possibility of a hard sell (not from me though I hasten to add!).  The Government has also put in place a series of hoops that have to be jumped through in order to get finance or cash back.  In fact, it is unlikely that you will see any measures installed within 3 months via Green Deal,  not much good if you want it installed before winter bites!  Also, Providers are now charging installers to process green deal cashback applications,  a cost that cannot be passed on to the customer so surprise surprise, it is now not advertised as widely or even offered to customers on certain measures.  We are still in the teething period but do not expect an easy ride as an early mover.

Ed Brooks