Green Deal MSE Guide Discussion

John_Pierpoint

There is an awful lot of money or potential money sloshing about in the ECO scheme.

In the nine months since the scheme was launched in January, British Gas has achieved just 4 per cent, 6 per cent and 9 per cent of targets to deliver the scheme’s three elements for the period up until March next year

Can anyone explain what the three elements of the ECO scheme are?

More detail here:

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/4c90221c-4af6-11e3-8c4c-00144feabdc0.html#axzz2kPmoG3iL

&

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/personalfinance/consumertips/household-bills/10442288/More-than-four-million-more-face-higher-energy-bills-as-Minister-attacks-suppliers-for-acting-like-greedy-banks.html

&

http://www.theguardian.com/money/2013/nov/10/liberal-democrats-green-levies-energy-bills

&

http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/analysis/2306131/battle-for-future-of-efficiency-schemes-heats-up-as-industry-warns-of-devastating-impact

Ecodave

The three strands that are separately targeted are:

1 - HHCRO (or Affordable Warmth) - the boiler replacement offers that abound are largely done under this strand.

2 - CERO - Carbon Reduction target - has so far been aimed at Hard-to-Treat cavity walls, but Solid Wall insulation also falls under this section.

3 - CSCO - Carbon Saving Communities Obligation - aimed at communities defined as being in the most deprived areas, the measures offered will mainly be insulation. A subsection of this obligation is aimed at rural communities.

Stevie01

I now have some experience of this.

I was telephoned on Monday by a company called e-green energy asking me if I wanted a free boiler replacement if my boiler is more than 8 years old (it is more than 8 years old). That I was telephoned was interesting in itself in that I am TPS registered but that's another story.

The agent gave me some speil saying that I could have a free boiler replacement and that I would have to pay £250 for this from which I would then be given £270 when the new boiler was installed. I was told that this was the government Green Deal initiative.

I was also asked by the e-green energy agent about cavity wall insulation but advised that this doesn't apply to me since I don't have cavity walls. I mentioned that I knew this from someone from another company having been around a month ago and said I could get loft insulation with no issue and that there aren't cavity walls in my house. At this point the agent asked me if I was getting £100 for having the loft insulated and seemed keen to try to steal that business. However I said I had no intention of cancelling the loft insulation that is scheduled (the loft insulation is being done by the Mark Group who I am happy with so far. They have said I won't have to pay them any money and that included when their surveyor attended. I am also happy that Mark Group appear to me so far to have been open and honest so far about the ins and outs of what is involved and what they are doing).

I said repeatedly to the e-green energy agent that this sounds too good to be true and asked what the catch was. I was told that there's no catch from which I agreed to be passed through to someone who would schedule a visit by their representative to my house. This agent had a somewhat different tone from the super customer friendly agent I had initially spoken with. The visit scheduler made it clear that I would be expected to pay the surveyor £249. I asked some questions about this as this seemed fishy and again was told I would be given £270 when the new boiler was installed. I was reticent about this at this stage but agreed for a survey to be scheduled in the knowledge that I could research this further on my own and then ring them up and cancel if I was unhappy.

On Tuesday morning I researched the green deal further via the MSE mythbuster article. From that I gained a better understanding of how this all seem to operate:-

* the £249 would be their surveyor fee and going by the info on the MSE article, this is very expensive compared to what other companies charge. Indeed this is infinitely more expensive than the free survey I was given when Mark Group sent someone round

* The comment that I would receive a £270 refund seems to be correct as long as I go ahead with a boiler upgrade. I wouldn't get a refund though if I don't go ahead with a boiler upgrade and I bet I wouldn't get the £249 back

* It also became clear from reading the MSE article that the crux of the green deal is that I would in effect be signing up to a long term loan. There had been no mention of this whatsoever in my conversation with the agents from e-green energy. This was despite my asking releatedly, 'this all sounds to good to be true, what's the catch', and being answered that there is no catch

After this I tried to ring e-green energy 3 times yesterday. Each time my call was answered by a voice mail message saying please leave a message. I did leave a message each time and asked to be telephoned back each time. I didn't receive a return call. I rang again this morning and this time I got through to an e-green energy agent. I stated that I had read up about the green deal on the internet and that now understood that I would have to sign up to the long term financing arrangement that comes with the green deal. I asked if my understanding was correct and was told, "yes". I have thus now cancelled the e-green energy surveyor visit as I am presently not interested in signing up to the financing arrangement.

Conclusion:

1) I personally cannot endorse e-green energy as an organisation. I have been left with the impression that I would in dealing with a dodgy 2nd hand car salesperson, namely that they present only info that they want me to hear in the hope that they can roll me into a sale for them. The sale for them of £249 seems very expensive compared with what others offer

2) This has given me an interesting slant on the dealings I had with Mark Group. The surveyor who came round was a chap named Bevan. I am quite happy to deal with someone like him. No wild promising me the earth, just calm and objective advise. Also he nor anyone else at Mark Group have tried to take any money from me.

These are all only my personal experiences and opinions and obviously I can't take accountability should anyone have any contrary experience.

[Deleted User]

Stevie01, most if not all companies that ring you regarding free boilers, green deal, etc will almost always be dodgy scammers. If you want a free boiler or green deal you'll have to go for it yourself. You can't just wait for some scammer to phone you.

slaterio

Hi

I have arranged for someone to come out to me from the company listed on Martin's site (NWS) at the end of November. Does anyone have any experience of any involvement with this company? Is it really free to have an assessment?

Ecodave

Hi Stevie01 - You don't say in your post, but if the E_green people stated that you qualified for a free boiler, then I guess that you may be on one of the various qualifying benefits? If so, you need not go down the Green Deal route, there are a plethora of companies who would conduct boiler surveys for free, with the aim of installing the boiler under the Energy Company Obligation scheme. As you seem happy with Mark Group, maybe talk to them about it? I should say at this point that I have recently taken employment with Mark Group, however I have no experience of their boiler division, except that I understand that they employ their own staff and don't sub-contract work.

sisser00

Hi Im freezing and so I am thinking very strongly about this deal. I live in a ground floor property with all but one wall internal. Insulation was put in some walls but as the contractors failed to plug the holes, this left the walls and hence the insulation open to the elements and wet. The walls are cold even though the thermostat is on 24 degrees as anything below isnt worth it. As for my floor it is cold and causes you to get spasms. I found out some years ago that the pipes at the side of the building had burst so my property is not only cold but damp. I pay more for heating this single place then other people I know living in a 3 storey house. I have central heating and have to use 3 other heaters. To top everything off I even have to have a heater on during the summer and forget eating salads, ice cream or anything cold. Before pneumonia sets in I think the only alternative I have, is to pay to get the assessment done and get a second job for the extra expense involved to live.

pd001

sisser00 wrote: »

Hi Im freezing and so I am thinking very strongly about this deal. I live in a ground floor property with all but one wall internal. Insulation was put in some walls but as the contractors failed to plug the holes, this left the walls and hence the insulation open to the elements and wet. The walls are cold even though the thermostat is on 24 degrees as anything below isnt worth it. As for my floor it is cold and causes you to get spasms. I found out some years ago that the pipes at the side of the building had burst so my property is not only cold but damp. I pay more for heating this single place then other people I know living in a 3 storey house. I have central heating and have to use 3 other heaters. To top everything off I even have to have a heater on during the summer and forget eating salads, ice cream or anything cold. Before pneumonia sets in I think the only alternative I have, is to pay to get the assessment done and get a second job for the extra expense involved to live.

My word, are things that bad?

rjocallaghan

Stevie01 wrote: »

I now have some experience of this.

I was telephoned on Monday by a company called e-green energy asking me if I wanted a free boiler replacement if my boiler is more than 8 years old (it is more than 8 years old). That I was telephoned was interesting in itself in that I am TPS registered but that's another story.

The agent gave me some speil saying that I could have a free boiler replacement and that I would have to pay £250 for this from which I would then be given £270 when the new boiler was installed. I was told that this was the government Green Deal initiative.

I was also asked by the e-green energy agent about cavity wall insulation but advised that this doesn't apply to me since I don't have cavity walls. I mentioned that I knew this from someone from another company having been around a month ago and said I could get loft insulation with no issue and that there aren't cavity walls in my house. At this point the agent asked me if I was getting £100 for having the loft insulated and seemed keen to try to steal that business. However I said I had no intention of cancelling the loft insulation that is scheduled (the loft insulation is being done by the Mark Group who I am happy with so far. They have said I won't have to pay them any money and that included when their surveyor attended. I am also happy that Mark Group appear to me so far to have been open and honest so far about the ins and outs of what is involved and what they are doing).

I said repeatedly to the e-green energy agent that this sounds too good to be true and asked what the catch was. I was told that there's no catch from which I agreed to be passed through to someone who would schedule a visit by their representative to my house. This agent had a somewhat different tone from the super customer friendly agent I had initially spoken with. The visit scheduler made it clear that I would be expected to pay the surveyor £249. I asked some questions about this as this seemed fishy and again was told I would be given £270 when the new boiler was installed. I was reticent about this at this stage but agreed for a survey to be scheduled in the knowledge that I could research this further on my own and then ring them up and cancel if I was unhappy.

On Tuesday morning I researched the green deal further via the MSE mythbuster article. From that I gained a better understanding of how this all seem to operate:-

* the £249 would be their surveyor fee and going by the info on the MSE article, this is very expensive compared to what other companies charge. Indeed this is infinitely more expensive than the free survey I was given when Mark Group sent someone round

* The comment that I would receive a £270 refund seems to be correct as long as I go ahead with a boiler upgrade. I wouldn't get a refund though if I don't go ahead with a boiler upgrade and I bet I wouldn't get the £249 back

* It also became clear from reading the MSE article that the crux of the green deal is that I would in effect be signing up to a long term loan. There had been no mention of this whatsoever in my conversation with the agents from e-green energy. This was despite my asking releatedly, 'this all sounds to good to be true, what's the catch', and being answered that there is no catch

After this I tried to ring e-green energy 3 times yesterday. Each time my call was answered by a voice mail message saying please leave a message. I did leave a message each time and asked to be telephoned back each time. I didn't receive a return call. I rang again this morning and this time I got through to an e-green energy agent. I stated that I had read up about the green deal on the internet and that now understood that I would have to sign up to the long term financing arrangement that comes with the green deal. I asked if my understanding was correct and was told, "yes". I have thus now cancelled the e-green energy surveyor visit as I am presently not interested in signing up to the financing arrangement.

Conclusion:

1) I personally cannot endorse e-green energy as an organisation. I have been left with the impression that I would in dealing with a dodgy 2nd hand car salesperson, namely that they present only info that they want me to hear in the hope that they can roll me into a sale for them. The sale for them of £249 seems very expensive compared with what others offer

2) This has given me an interesting slant on the dealings I had with Mark Group. The surveyor who came round was a chap named Bevan. I am quite happy to deal with someone like him. No wild promising me the earth, just calm and objective advise. Also he nor anyone else at Mark Group have tried to take any money from me.

These are all only my personal experiences and opinions and obviously I can't take accountability should anyone have any contrary experience.

Was a sub contractor for mark group doing Ewi last year some of the installs I seen when I was there were shocking, would never work for them again, Even the site manager said this is a site of not how to do Ewi complete joke

[Deleted User]

sisser00 wrote: »

Hi Im freezing and so I am thinking very strongly about this deal. I live in a ground floor property with all but one wall internal. Insulation was put in some walls but as the contractors failed to plug the holes, this left the walls and hence the insulation open to the elements and wet. The walls are cold even though the thermostat is on 24 degrees as anything below isnt worth it. As for my floor it is cold and causes you to get spasms. I found out some years ago that the pipes at the side of the building had burst so my property is not only cold but damp. I pay more for heating this single place then other people I know living in a 3 storey house. I have central heating and have to use 3 other heaters. To top everything off I even have to have a heater on during the summer and forget eating salads, ice cream or anything cold. Before pneumonia sets in I think the only alternative I have, is to pay to get the assessment done and get a second job for the extra expense involved to live.

I'm freezing too. I have no heating apart from electric heaters. Solid fuel is too expensive for the fire.