This is the month – October 2012 – when the government’s Green Deal initiative is due to rollout its important energy saving financial proposals for every UK homeowner to start making their homes carbon clean.
Despite the huge amount of manpower and industry expertise that’s been focused on it, according to one recent survey, Green Deal ‘has yet to create an awareness amongst the public.’ Only 21% of them claim to have heard anything about the scheme!
And while there is still no official technical guide on energy efficient home improvements, in the meantime, 20 organisations, including the NHIC, are urging the government to tackle the major risk of rogue traders cashing in on Green Deal ancillary work.
Led by TrustMark, the government endorsed quality scheme that directs people to reputable local tradesmen, the group has voiced its concerns about a huge wave of ‘ancillary works’ – repairs and other home improvement work that will be triggered. Yet these fall outside of the scheme’s consumer protection requirements.
The group is calling for the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) to reinstate important safeguards into Green Deal.
Liz Male, chairman of TrustMark says:
“We are united in our desire for a more energy efficient housing stock. But our major concern revolves around an unfortunate decision to drop any safeguards in Green Deal regarding what have been called ‘ancillary works.’
“In effect, these are basic home repairs and maintenance that inevitably will be required before Green Deal improvements can be made.
“We want to see homeowners clearly signposted to where they can find reputable firms to do this work, tradesmen who are properly vetted, insured and working to the well-established Government-endorsed standards that already exist in this market.”
TrustMark and the other important organisations believe there must be an obligation on Green Deal Providers and others to direct domestic customers to reputable firms through TrustMark or members of Competent Person’s schemes.
Liz Male, says: “We also strongly recommend that an integrated, coordinated communications campaign via government, industry and consumer protection groups is established, to ensure consumers are aware of the limits of Green Deal protection as well as the benefits.
“Rogue traders must not be given the chance to profit from the ancillary work and put the entire Green Deal at risk of technical failure and reputational ruin. Nor must customers be left at the mercy of dodgy referrals, leaflets through the door, telephone directories or unverified information on websites and social media.”
Photo: Liz Male with Vince Cable secretary of state for business, at the launch of TrustMark’s new smartphone app, which also aims to reduce rogue trading
Further information: www.trustmark.org.uk