How would I lauch a legal action against this scheme (https://www.warmerhomes.org.uk)?

woeestme

Hi, I applied for this scheme back in Aug 2020. https://www.warmerhomes.org.uk 

I was told I was eligible due to my benefits status.

15 months later and I'm still jumping through hoops.  There were issues with the EPC which took months to resolve.  Recently I received EPC clearance for the property so that the installation could go ahead.  Agility Eco (company who manage the scheme) sent notification to the installers (Dyson Energy) for the work to be carried out.

So, finally, I thought, the work would go ahead.  However, now the installers are saying another survey has to be done (for ventilation purposes?).  Apparently this new regulation came out in July but when I spoke to head manager at Dyson Energy earlier in the month, he didn't say anything about that and deferred me to the 'other' office. 

I have a survey date next month....no doubt there'll be more problems.....but it's clear they're going to pad this out til later next year when the scheme ends and I'll have nothing.

I believe this is conscious mismanagement and want to complain but I'm not sure who I should direct the complaint to.  It seems the scheme is run by a Charity called Charis https://www.charisgrants.com.  However, I phoned them and they just deferred me to the scheme.

[Deleted User]

What are you hoping to achieve? If you can show a financial loss then you can pursue a claim through the Small Claims Court. Trying to sue for incompetence etc would be difficult and you would need legal advice. You might even lose your case and end up paying costs. 

QrizB

woeestme said:

I have a survey date next month....no doubt there'll be more problems.....but it's clear they're going to pad this out til later next year when the scheme ends and I'll have nothing.

But have you lost anything? Are you going to be worse off than if you hadn't contacted them in the first place?

As Dolor says, unless you can prove a loss of some sort you're going to struggle.

woeestme

Presumably the Govt want to see the tax money is being spent responsibly and ending up where it's supposed to.

What are you hoping to achieve?

Access to the scheme i.e. central heating which I'm told I'm eligible for.

Maybe there's something I'm missing here?

woeestme

Perhaps my title is incorrect.

What I really meant is how do I make the scheme accountable and how do I force them to deliver on what they're supposed to deliver.

I've expended a lot of time jumping through hoops for this (far more than I care to remember).  If I'd known it'd be this difficult I wouldn't have bothered.

I know that Dyson Energy are stalling now on actually doing the installation because the manager has lied to me.  I have it all recorded.

molerat

woeestme said:

Presumably the Govt want to see the tax money is being spent responsibly and ending up where it's supposed to.

What are you hoping to achieve?

Access to the scheme i.e. central heating which I'm told I'm eligible for.

Maybe there's something I'm missing here?

Which is outside the remit of the courts, they cannot force anyone to carry out a service only compensate you for your losses.  You cannot sue someone for general incompetence.

JJ_Egan

Complain   to your local MP .

Legal Action engage a solicitor .

MWT

woeestme said:

Perhaps my title is incorrect.

What I really meant is how do I make the scheme accountable and how do I force them to deliver on what they're supposed to deliver.

What you are asking for is 'specific performance' and that would require a contract to be in place and for a court to order that to be done.

I suspect you do not yet have a contract and courts are loath to order specific performance where monetary compensation is reasonable...

There isn't a whole lot you can do except keep jumping through the hoops if you want the work done...

woeestme

My application was accepted by the scheme.  Therefore, a tax allocation has been allotted.  However, that allocation has stayed with the private companies connected to the scheme.

woeestme

I think it's an accepted fact that these schemes are mostly scams at the cost of the taxpayer.  Part of the reason I made the thread was because I was wondering if other people had had any experience of it.

EssexHebridean

If your application has been accepted and it is purely the installation date that you are waiting on, might it be that the closure date for the scheme will not be an issue anyway as it only closes to new applications from that point? Could be worth checking - I know ideally you want it done sooner but it might at least alleviate the worry about losing out entirely based on that date.