I recently read an article in the Double Glazing Blog (DGB) making comment about Which Magazine’s demands regarding The Green Deal. The three issues picked up on were:
- Savings must be linked to a detailed energy assessment
- No shocking early repayment fees
- The risk of Mis-selling
Energy Assessment
Which’s first point here is that home energy assessments will be based on “average” energy usage in “average” home types (Detached, semi etc.) and that therefore in some households where the energy usage is above average there may be little or no savings. DGB reflects that we all have different habits and attitudes in our approach to energy management.
One of the key reasons for government initiatives of this type is that we use too much energy, depleting natural resources and producing high levels of carbon pollution. This scheme will help homeowners with the capital costs of improvement to their home and hopefully people will be taking advantage of this both to benefit themselves and the wider community.
Is it not, therefore, reasonable to suppose that participation will cause them to consider the global benefits as well as the opportunity to reduce costs and make their homes more comfortable? Once a home has an A rated boiler, insulated walls and roof and high performance windows and doors surly the inhabitants will then turn the stat down, only heat the parts of the house they are using and switch off electrical items instead of using standby.
That way it’s a partnership between government and householder to ensure that energy usage is reduced by this scheme.
No Shocking Repayment Fees
This is something that the government should re-think. Early repayment of the loan should not result in punitive fees and could well be a block to the scheme being successful.
The Risk of Mis-Selling
The government have gone to great lengths to build in as many safeguards as possible to this scheme with accreditation for assessors, providers and installers – monitoring mechanisms and supported sources of independent advice. This is clearly laid out on Department for Energy & Climate Change website for all to see.
The Green Deal will be supported by responsible and well controlled businesses.
