Green Homes Grant, a 7 month annoyance

Bingee

In early December 2020 I was granted a voucher by GHG to externally insulated my 3 bed semi at a cost of £18k. After more research, I obtained further quotes for £14k and 11k respectively. I therefore asked 7 months ago for the installers name to be changed on my voucher to a cheaper company.
Imagine my annoyance then 4 months later to be told the new cost 'exceeded the average price for the work' and now after arguing with GHG since March, they have finally refused my application.
Throughout communication with GHG has been a shambles, faceless young people on the telephone, and a failure to respond to emails, phone calls and post. I expect nothing more from ICF of Fairfax, Virginia who administer the scheme on behalf of the UK govt. 
Senior director, Andrew Jarvis, a former senior policy adviser for energy, environment and innovation in the Cabinet Office should never be allowed to bid for public funds again.
I stated during the process that I had the opinion that GHG were trying their damndest not to give money away, I still believe this is the case.

Rosa_Damascena

The whole green homes grant was a big con, announced with much fanfare but delivering little for very few.

Doozergirl

Rosa_Damascena said:

The whole green homes grant was a big con, announced with much fanfare but delivering little for very few.

This. 

No one on the contracting side was willing to take up the qualifications for a 6 month deal when they didn't tell us what we needed until a month after it started.  

I wasn't aware of what happened during the previous arrangement, but many contractors who could pick this up were left £00-000,000s in debt by the government and simply wouldn't trust them anyway.   

Weirdo109

Bingee said:

Imagine my annoyance then 4 months later to be told the new cost 'exceeded the average price for the work' and now after arguing with GHG, they have finally refused my application.
Throughout communication with GHG has been a shambles.

Just had pretty much the same result. I trimmed your reply to mimic my experience.

So annoyed that I had the grant voucher in place and only because the installer had a change of mind one week prior to installation that I had to request a change of installer.
Once they had cancelled the first voucher in order to issue a new one they had no intention.

I spent days emailing them and proving the reason they stated to be false and blatant lie.

I have raised a complaint with them directly, BEIS, Kwasi kwarteng MP and the national audit office.
voucher.project@beis.gov.uk
enquiries@nao.org.uk,
kwasi.kwarteng.mp@parliament.uk,
enquiries@beis.gov.uk

I know it make no difference but I believe you have to make a stand and at least make people aware of the behaviour.

Kestral1410

I received the Goverment green Homes Grant Voucher of £10000 in September 2020, due to being on certain benefits. I was told to only contact contractors on the Trustmark website! I have phoned, emailed loads of them. I thought i had found a local contractor, who came round, measured up, invoiced me and i then thought the work would be done! Since then i have called  emailed and i haven't been able to get an insulation date. My voucher runs out the end of this month and its not looking like the work is going to be done. I am so disappointed and frustrated!!! This is a travesty and a total waste of time.