Green Deal MSE Guide Discussion

lstar337

Deleted_User wrote: »

Tell me how that is cheaper than gas.

Strange request since I never claimed to be able to.

Deleted_User wrote: »

I don't burn coal. I burn smokeless solid fuel which currently costs £8 for a 25KG bag. I could easily burn a whole bag in one evening in winter.

Why don't you burn coal? [genuine question, just curious]

Deleted_User wrote: »

I don't have a new fangled trendy wood burning stove that everyone is installing these days. I have a Parkray closed door fire.

I always thought the Parkrays were good.

[Deleted User]

lstar337 wrote: »

Strange request since I never claimed to be able to.

Why don't you burn coal? [genuine question, just curious]

I always thought the Parkrays were good.

Parkray room heaters aren't designed to burn house coal.

lstar337

Deleted_User wrote: »

Parkray room heaters aren't designed to burn house coal.

Thanks for clearing that up. My only experience is the old closed door type that were fitted in council houses. When I was little my parents had one that burned coal and heated radiators/water through some kind of boiler at the back.

I think my OH grandparents still have one like my parents had, and this heats radiators/water too. I wrongly assumed they were all similar!

Smiley_Dan

lstar337 wrote: »

Last time I checked, coal cost less per kWh than gas. Cant find any recent figures though, so I could be wrong.

I think that was the case for a period last year, it has since reversed: http://www.nottenergy.com/energy_cost_comparison/energy_comparison_data/may_2014

highguyuk

darren221980 wrote: »

I'm currently in the process of getting some quotes for a new boiler and installation. My brother pointed me in the direction of the green deal and i was a little dubious of whether i'd get any help. The reason i was dubious is that me and my partner both work full time, no benefits, so usually can't get any help.

This morning i've called the Energy Saving Trust and been advised i wouldn't get any help unless i had either, double glazing, cavity wall insulation or loft insulation fitted with a new boiler. I've already got these, so they advised best bet is to speak with my local council for their energy saving scheme.

Surprise surprise, after speaking with my local council, unless i'm one of the several workshy in my area they will not be able to help :mad:

Simply install a Boiler with a built in Flue Gas Recovery System and you'll be eligible for the upto £1600 cashback on GDHIF.

Consumer_Advice_Cardiff

RickMoney wrote: »

Wish I could get my money back on the assessment I had done. I specifically went with a local company that was also a provider so they could quote on the recommended works too, without any potential delay in communication etc.

Since asking them to quote on their report I've sent two follow up emails asking for an update or to give me the quote, no resposes at all, not even a 'we're working on it'.

Is there somewhere you can complain to, it's a load of cr*p?

Yes, you can complain to your local Trading Standards or Citizens Advice Bureau if you have one nearby (Or the national helpline). Essentially this is a contract and delayed assessments may be a breach of contract.

Some of the stories on this thread are frightening and reveals a couple of obvious issues with the scheme.

The first and most pertinent to anyone wanting to explore the viability of the scheme after hearing about it from a neighbour or in the press etc is the way its being advertised in general.

Its being promoted as an easy way to get funding for a new boiler, or double glazing, or insulation when the reality is its a far more complex scheme. Its a double edged sword because the gov know that if they promote the scheme in a more informative way, many might be put of from enquiring and getting assessments.

Yet, there are currently too many people who end up feeling the scheme is not as advertised or too complex/frustrating to deal with.

The second problem is that the lack of clarity on costs and who can make assessments etc has led to many (new and existing) firms to try to entice homeowners to have an assessment for a fee. Many unscrupulous businesses have taken advantage of this by offering to do assessments and then delaying continuously or simply vanishing without paying the fee. Other firms take a "fee" for simply arranging for an assessor to come out - they themselves are not the assessor - and a separate fee must then be paid to that company.

This is a problem which particularly affected those who were most vulnerable and desperate to have the work done to provide heating for the home in winter or to try and improve their living condition.

The government needs to accept that, in re-launching investment into the scheme - they need to pay attention to some of its weaknesses and in particular tie up some of those loopholes which facilitate unscrupulous conmen using the scheme as a mask to scam homeowners/tenants.

I've written something about these and other issues with the scheme, as well as suggestions about what people need to look out for to avoid some of the problems that have occurred in the past (See my profile signature as I'm not yet able to post links).

Richie-from-the-Boro

Consumer_Advice_Cardiff wrote: »

Yes, you can complain to your local Trading Standards or Citizens Advice Bureau if you have one nearby (Or the national helpline). Essentially this is a contract and delayed assessments may be a breach of contract.

Some of the stories on this thread are frightening and reveals a couple of obvious issues with the scheme.

The first and most pertinent to anyone wanting to explore the viability of the scheme after hearing about it from a neighbour or in the press etc is the way its being advertised in general.

Its being promoted as an easy way to get funding for a new boiler, or double glazing, or insulation when the reality is its a far more complex scheme. Its a double edged sword because the gov know that if they promote the scheme in a more informative way, many might be put of from enquiring and getting assessments.

Yet, there are currently too many people who end up feeling the scheme is not as advertised or too complex/frustrating to deal with.

The second problem is that the lack of clarity on costs and who can make assessments etc has led to many (new and existing) firms to try to entice homeowners to have an assessment for a fee. Many unscrupulous businesses have taken advantage of this by offering to do assessments and then delaying continuously or simply vanishing without paying the fee. Other firms take a "fee" for simply arranging for an assessor to come out - they themselves are not the assessor - and a separate fee must then be paid to that company.

This is a problem which particularly affected those who were most vulnerable and desperate to have the work done to provide heating for the home in winter or to try and improve their living condition.

The government needs to accept that, in re-launching investment into the scheme - they need to pay attention to some of its weaknesses and in particular tie up some of those loopholes which facilitate unscrupulous conmen using the scheme as a mask to scam homeowners/tenants.

I've written something about these and other issues with the scheme, as well as suggestions about what people need to look out for to avoid some of the problems that have occurred in the past (See my profile signature as I'm not yet able to post links).

NOTE : Over a year ago I said, amongst other things : The GOV is saying to its people, you, in this time of megga austerity should pay your hard eared to assessors / installers / manufacturers and greedy bankers all this money, and we the GOV will benefit with better CO2 emissions, increased employment, increased profits for manufactures installers and bankers. Those who would benefit most from these improvements the disabled and poor of course will benefit least, the disabled and poor are being smashed into financial meltdown with a combination of cuts and restrictions on means tested and non-means tested benefits. The very people that could most benefit from the Green Deal are that very section of society that can't even consider the offer.

Its now, a year later, and clear to most people that installers and assessors get the benefit, and the householder gets the bill. Its just one more transfer of assets from the poor to the rich[er]. There have been 2 relaunches of the green steal, all of them a waste of time, every cowboy company in the country, along with hoards of underemployed double glazing salesman and rogue traders joined the green steal army. They along with every two bit reseller and leads broker had the industry already sewn up tight and the beast we call green steal was wrenched of the control of GOV long before even the first official launch began. A local installer as others have said is a considerably cheaper less inflated price, there's less chance of mis-selling, a much simpler, more responsive and cheaper system all round.

I make the observation that Consumer Advice Cardiff is a legal and business services [SME's] provider, and not an individual household consumer based organisation, I'm sure Consumer Advice Cardiff's input is intended to be informative and helpful, and agree wholeheartedly will most if not all that s/he has said - welcome to MSE Runako Mowatt.

wacsa

wacsa wrote: »

My mother lives in a 4 bedroom semi-detached house by herself, it is in a bad state of repair. A hole in the kitchen ceiling, damp in various places and lots of other problems.

Even worse is that she has lived without central heating for over 20 years after the very old gas boiler was condemned, but worst of all she has now lived without a running water supply for over 4 years since a pipe in the garage sprung a leak. She carries 4 litre bottles with her and fills them up at my or 1 of my brothers houses and uses these for the toilet and kettle etc.

I won't get in to the history of why etc as it's a long story.

My question is does anyone know if my mother would be eligible for some help?

She is retired but has the state pension and a good works pension so gets just over £20k per year.

Any help would be greatly appreciated, thank you.

Can anyone advise if they think my mother would be eligible for help through this scheme? I won't get in to why and how the house is the way it is as it's too long a story and personal.

As I said her income is just over 20k in pensions, she owns her home outright and does not receive any benefits, including pension credit.

[Deleted User]

Green Deal scam: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-28164739

Lpg

Used the Green deal site to find an independat assessor in Norfolk.
Not one was from there, plenty in the North or Scotland.

Seems daft as I want assor with loal knowledge.

Also when I asked if I could speak to the person that would do the assessment it was impossible.