warm front grant scam
Options
catford
Posts: 1,114 Forumite
How about this for a rip off of grant money--if it's true then it needs sorting.
I recently applied for a warm front grant and due to our income etc we qualified for the full grant which is about£4500---That was brilliant ,it meant that we would get our antiquated heating replaced.:D
When the engineer came to assess the work needed he said that his firm was a sub contractor for Kershaws and that they took 30% just for the paperwork and subbing it out.----That can't be right!! :eek: Surely that's my grant money??:mad:
Any advice please?? How can I find out if it's correct and who do I complain to ?
I recently applied for a warm front grant and due to our income etc we qualified for the full grant which is about£4500---That was brilliant ,it meant that we would get our antiquated heating replaced.:D
When the engineer came to assess the work needed he said that his firm was a sub contractor for Kershaws and that they took 30% just for the paperwork and subbing it out.----That can't be right!! :eek: Surely that's my grant money??:mad:
Any advice please?? How can I find out if it's correct and who do I complain to ?
0
Comments
-
I remember seeing a story on Watchdog about warm front, i have copied and pasted this from the watchdog site:
28 November 2006
The average gas bill has risen by a third over the last year. Keeping warm in winter could be a big problem for many vulnerable people in the UK.
That's why Warm Front, a government grant scheme for improving home heating efficiency, should help vulnerable people save money on bills and keep warm this winter. Instead, Watchdog has heard from people who say they're being left out in the cold.
Pensioner Joan Dyson received a Warm Front grant in 2002 to get her loft insulated. Three years later, an electrician inspected her loft and told her only half of it had been insulated.
Dyson complained to Warm Front but it refused to complete the work. Following our involvement, EAGA, the company managing the scheme, has promised to complete the loft insulation.
Applicants can be granted up to £2,700 for normal boilers (or up to £4,000 for oil boilers) for their heating and home efficiency to be improved. If the cost of the work exceeds that, the client pays the excess. Many people complained to Watchdog because of what they believe are excessive costs.
One example is single mum Teresa Hodgetts. Her 28-year-old boiler is on its last legs, and Hodgetts thought her worries were over when she qualified for a Warm Front grant. But Warm Front quoted her over £3,000 to change it. Independent plumbers have quoted a maximum of £2,000 for the same work. Warm Front won't use an alternative contractor.
The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), monitors the scheme on behalf of the government. It says the majority of Warm Front recipients are happy, but it also says it'll look to improve services.
EAGA says Warm Front can make a huge improvement to the quality of life of vulnerable people. The company says over 1.2 million households across England are now warmer and healthier thanks to Warm Front.
The company also told Watchdog there will be some occasions where it may fall short of the mark on its own high standards. EAGA apologises, and assures customers that it'll do all it can to rectify the situation.
I really hope you have more luck than these folks.0 -
This is quite standard in business, and certainly not a scam. It is what happens when a contract is subcontracted.
When a large builder builds a new housing estate, they are likely to subcontract most of the work. Do you think they don't make a profit?!!Gone ... or have I?0 -
This is quite standard in business, and certainly not a scam. It is what happens when a contract is subcontracted.
When a large builder builds a new housing estate, they are likely to subcontract most of the work. Do you think they don't make a profit?!!
I quite understand that all businesses must make a profit but it should be in proportion to the amount of work they do for it.;)
Kershaws took 6wks to sub the work out and that only happened when I phoned to ask when the engineer was coming:mad: --that kind of service does not warrant a massive rake off of what, at the end of the day ,is taxpayers money--yours and mine.0 -
Believe it or not, if it was in the private sector, their cut would be considerably more than 30%.
I agree, it should be proportionate to the work they do, but the only way it would work like that (at least in theory) is if the company carrying out the work was a public sector organisation (and then it would probably cost even more due to ineffective management and even more paperwork!) xGone ... or have I?0 -
Has the grant aid increased. It was only £2700 last year and you couldn't get a full central heating system for that, I managed to get a new boiler, admittedly a good one but a friend of mine who could get the full grant too £2700 would have had to pay on top for full central heating so she couldn't afford it.0
-
Has the grant aid increased. It was only £2700 last year and you couldn't get a full central heating system for that, I managed to get a new boiler, admittedly a good one but a friend of mine who could get the full grant too £2700 would have had to pay on top for full central heating so she couldn't afford it.
I don't know the criteria for how it's worked out, but I was surprised when the engineer said how much
---I was only expecting a boiler repair but the whole system is ancient, knackered and apparently needs replacing.
Never look a gift horse in the mouth,so they say!! I only hope that the sums are right.---:eek: I'll check it out before they start;) Sorry about you and your friends.:o
I just checked the warmfront website and it's up to £4000 if you need oil c/heating,which is what we are getting--maybe I misunderstood the engineer, I'm sure they wouldn't give too much ,but we're pleased.0 -
I am hoping to reapply this year once my wftc is worked out as they need proof of income etc. I moved into a more suitable house although there's little or no insulation in the loft, and it has a cavity wall but unsure if thats been done.
Just clear things up in my last post, I didnt need a full central heating just old boiler was on its last legs. I was glad of the boiler damn good boiler top of the range one too, even BIL whos a plumber said it was and so did guys who fitted it, the Rolls Royce of boilers with wireless controller.
How much do you get?
£2,700 or up to £4,000 if your home needs oil central heating.0 -
I am hoping to reapply this year once my wftc is worked out as they need proof of income etc. I moved into a more suitable house although there's little or no insulation in the loft, and it has a cavity wall but unsure if thats been done.
Just clear things up in my last post, I didnt need a full central heating just old boiler was on its last legs. I was glad of the boiler damn good boiler top of the range one too, even BIL whos a plumber said it was and so did guys who fitted it, the Rolls Royce of boilers with wireless controller.
How much do you get?
£2,700 or up to £4,000 if your home needs oil central heating.
Hi Poppycat etc-just out of interested,what make of boiler did you get??
I'm trying to get the specification that EAGA and warm front set for their installations
The guy who came to me said that i've got to pay for removing the soil etc that they dig out for the oil tank base and pipe run 'cos its not included in the grant, and he warned me that the mini digger they use will damage my garden:mad: ---It looks like it's going to cost a bomb to repair and clean up.:eek:
Thats why I want the the spec .just to double check it all. I thought that the contractor cleaned up and made good any damage they did--or is that unreasonable?? :rolleyes:0 -
i`ve had the warm front grant about 6 months ago,
I applied for it myself directly on the eaga website, things moved on quickly from then on. Had a phone call within a week and an assesor came within the month to discuss what was available....gas central heating, electric storage heating, loft insulation etc.
I opted for central heating and loft insulation. The grant was for upto £2700, which goes towards loft insulation, boiler and upto 5 radiators.
Within a few weeks the insulation was fitted and a few days later an eaga inspector visited to make sure it was all done to standard.
The central heating took a bit longer.
installed and again checked by eaga to make sure the company doing the instalation had done a good job.
I couldnt really fault any of it really, the work was all completed with the grant money except for the 6th radiator i wanted, which i had to pay for seperately.
they fitted me an ideal combi boiler.0 -
The boiler was a condensing boiler Valiant not sure of the model though. It was a very good boiler, boy do I miss it almost instant hot water unlike the rubbish one we have now that takes yonks to heat water when CH isnt on and God knows how much in waste water and we are now on a water meter, eek.Hi Poppycat etc-just out of interested,what make of boiler did you get??0
This discussion has been closed.
Categories
- All Categories
- 343.4K Banking & Borrowing
- 250.1K Reduce Debt & Boost Income
- 449.8K Spending & Discounts
- 235.5K Work, Benefits & Business
- 608.4K Mortgages, Homes & Bills
- 173.2K Life & Family
- 248.1K Travel & Transport
- 1.5M Hobbies & Leisure
- 15.9K Discuss & Feedback
- 15.1K Coronavirus Support Boards