Official Free Boilers and Insulation guide discussion

wishicouldaffordit

captainhindsight wrote: »

A lot of the information here is just wrong!!

The 'free boiler and insulation' is paid for by the big six energy companies.

If you want to have a free boiler or free insulation you have to go to a green deal installer (if you go to one of the energy suppliers they just pass you details onto a local green deal installer) so its quicker to just go direct to a green deal installer.

The green deal installer then has an EPC carried out on the property and collects evidence of you eligibility (i.e. pension credit, child tax credit... etc.)

The EPC is then used to calculate the annual savings that would be made by fitting the new boiler, the figure is then calculated by the life time of the boiler (12 years is the figure that is used). This 'lifetime savings' figure is then multiplied by the payment rate which varies month to month.

As an example a house having a non condensing boiler replaced with a condensing combi has an annual saving of 1000 multiplied by 12 years = 12000. This figure is then multiplied by the current rate say 12pence so this would equal £1440 payable to the installer.

These figures are just to illustrate the calculation and they obviously vary depending on individual properties and what the current rate is the energy companies are paying.

So if the end amount payable to the installer is less than the amount it will cost to fit the boiler they will ask you the householder for a contribution to cover their costs and if the amount is more than the cost of the installation their quids in.

So the more amount of energy that can be saved the better for the installer (more profit) and better for the householder (get the boiler completely free)

So this is why some people have to make a contribution and other don't, and if you want the job done quickly and efficiently just go on to the Green Deal Participants register and contact a couple of local green deal installers and see who can do it the quickest.

so on that basis why was I told it was free, then told it would cost me £1.5K and then when I complained to E.On the CEO's office told me I was mistaken and it wouldn't cost me anything??

captainhindsight_2

wishicouldaffordit wrote: »

so on that basis why was I told it was free, then told it would cost me £1.5K and then when I complained to E.On the CEO's office told me I was mistaken and it wouldn't cost me anything??

I think that's obvious, you were said you were mistaken... Somebody probably said it would cost £1,500 and you took that to mean it would cost you £1,500...

wishicouldaffordit

captainhindsight wrote: »

I think that's obvious, you were said you were mistaken... Somebody probably said it would cost £1,500 and you took that to mean it would cost you £1,500...

no I was not mistaken, I do not understand what you are saying?? You saying I am wrong?? - they phoned me with an appointment, then the next day phoned and said that legislation had changed overnight and I would need to contribute towards the cost. How could I have made a mistake??

captainhindsight_2

wishicouldaffordit wrote: »

no I was not mistaken, I do not understand what you are saying?? You saying I am wrong?? - they phoned me with an appointment, then the next day phoned and said that legislation had changed overnight and I would need to contribute towards the cost. How could I have made a mistake??

The way you originally asked your question didn't make it clear that some one had specifically told you it would cost you £1,500.

The way I understood your question was that someone had said it would cost £1500 in passing and you had understood that to mean it would cost you £1500

The person who told you that the scheme had changed is completely wrong!

It hasn't changed in perspective to the installer and customer relationship, the scheme has just been extended over a longer period of time until 2017 so the same amount of money circa 3.2bn is now spread over 4 years instead of the original 2 years to help reduce the annual green levy on customers of the big six energy suppliers energy bills.

This change had obviously meant there is less money available per year which meant that funding was scaled back meaning that lots of installers pulled out of installations because of the funding being scaled down.

So companies that had made commitments to customers like your self instead of just waiting until they got the funding they just tried their luck to see if you would pay the full amount for the boiler install.

It wouldn't surprise me if lots of people did just pay up.

wishicouldaffordit

no I was told it was free for the last 6 months I have been waiting and having numerous surveys and false promises, then after finally booking in they then told me I had to pay, so I complained to E.On and miraculously the fee was a 'mistake' - seems like a scam to me tbh. Either that or they think I am completely stupid.

chicchef

I applied for the free boiler installation last November as I fit the criteria required. The company Synergise that is supposedly supplying and fitting the boiler as taken till now to only get as far as an energy check! When I emailed them again to ask when the next step would happen they replied by saying that they had written to my landlord to let them know that the rules had changed and they would have to pay some of the installation costs !!
My understanding after making enquiries is that the rules have not changed.
The boiler is to be fitted in the same place and I do not need new radiators.
Also I was assured at the outset that there would be no extra charges???
Does anyone know the answer to this ???:(

captainhindsight_2

The rules have not changed and there is no definate answer whether you have to pay or not. It is not all ways a 100% fully finding grant.

If you look at the calculation on post #381 that is used to calculate the amount of funding that is given to the installer ( in this case synergise) the smaller the house and the better insulated the house this means the energy saving from the boiler is less meaning a contribution would be needed and vise versa.

If you look at the energy survey that was done on your house (Google epcregister and enter you address) you'll be able to get an idea whether the boiler makes a big difference or a small difference on the rating and this should give you an idea on whether you should have to pay or not.

Although the rules haven't changed I believe the rate payable has dropped significantly when the scheme began is was around 20p and is now around 14p

wishicouldaffordit

chicchef wrote: »

I applied for the free boiler installation last November as I fit the criteria required. The company Synergise that is supposedly supplying and fitting the boiler as taken till now to only get as far as an energy check! When I emailed them again to ask when the next step would happen they replied by saying that they had written to my landlord to let them know that the rules had changed and they would have to pay some of the installation costs !!
My understanding after making enquiries is that the rules have not changed.
The boiler is to be fitted in the same place and I do not need new radiators.
Also I was assured at the outset that there would be no extra charges???
Does anyone know the answer to this ???:(

have you emailed the CEO of the energy company who are paying for the installation? I did - and the charges mysteriously vanished. Def worth a try?

summer1997

After my first post was removed due to the content,I have calmed down a bit now.
I first applied to npower in July 2013,I qualified,The technical survey was delayed by the assors by one month.
I then had an install date In December,waited no call no show.
It was then rescheduled for 5 weeks later then no show or call.
Then after a few heated calls it was rescheduled for a week later ,then no show or call.
I then emailed the CEOS of Helplink and Npower they sort of replied and blamed each other.Helplink said they did not have my phone number ?
Then the install was carried out a week later,the install seems to be a good job.
I did not have any additional costs,iam awaiting some reconpense for the 3 failed days off.
I did apply early to avoid the winter,in all it took 24 weeks.

haz25a

I was informed by the Energy Savings Trust (Scotland) that nobody should be asking me to make a financial contribution unless the boiler was being relocated.

My boiler was installed by British Gas, subcontracted to PH Jones who are apparently owned by BG and all the paperwork had BG's name and logo on it.

So if you use British Gas, there is technically no "middle man".

I'm not saying that I recommend using British Gas, just for the record.