The Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) announces consumers are to be protected from potential government-subsidised ‘shoddy workmanship’ and ‘dodgy technology’.
The Minister for Climate Change, Greg Barker, outlines his vision for The Green Deal today. The deal is the government’s flagship energy saving plan, which hopes to transform the country’s homes, making them cheaper to run and more efficient.
“The Green Deal will be the biggest home improvement programme since the Second World War shifting our outdated draughty homes from the past into the future, so its vital people can trust it,” he says.
“I have heard too many cases of shoddy workmanship or dodgy technology from Government schemes in the past so from day one there will be strict rules about standards, information will be readily available and there will be a proper route for complaints,” he adds.
As of next year, people have access to up to £10,000 to pay for energy efficiency work. The costs will be repaid through the savings made on energy bills. Similar support will be available through the Green Deal for businesses, and there will be extra help those in buildings that need more work than the original sum can pay for. The legal framework is currently progressing through Parliament under the Energy Bill and will be discussed at Committee stage in the House of Commons next week.
In a new document published today entitled ‘Consumer Protection in the Green Deal’, DECC sets out its plans for consumer protection and redress, which includes plans to set up a new Green Deal Code that protects customers at every stage of the Green Deal from initial assessment to installation. There are also plans to set up a new Green Deal advice line – this will provide impartial advice and referral to accredited Green Deal assessors, installers and providers as well as providing a route for any complaints. The government department also proposes is the formal appointment of the United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) which will ensure assessors and installers adhere to robust standards in order to participate in the Green Deal.
“We’ve already started putting in place the foundations for this and I am pleased the United Kingdom Accreditation Service has been formally appointed to ensure that installers and assessors will meet the necessary standards when the Green Deal starts next year,” says Mr Barker.
[Images attributed to Danilo Rizzuti and Zirconicusso]
