Green Deal Advice
Green Deal 2013 – 2020
April 2016, saw the Government decision to no longer support Green Deal funding. Furthermore, rates for heating incentives (RHI) were reduced and gaining feed in tariff for PV Panels became harder to achieve. The Government had surpassed their targets for micro generation and decided to restrict further funding
Green Deal -AT PRESENT NOT RECOMMENDED (2020)
Irrespective of your income or status, if you have designs on improving your home, you firstly seek an Independent Green Deal Adviser, who carries out a Green Deal Assessment with you, and calculates your home’s actual running costs for heat, light and power. The Adviser creates with you a Green Deal Advice Report which illustrates the energy savings which could result if each or some measure/s is to be carried out. If the saving is significant, you can apply for Green Deal Funding via any Green Deal Provider or your own Energy Company. If you wish, the Green Deal Provider can then, through approved Green Deal Installers, carry out all or part of the works to your home.
Green Deal is a way of getting important work done without paying at the outset, but you must consider the finance package that may be offered very carefully as it will be more expensive than paying as you go and may well be more expensive than getting a private loan or extending your mortgage. Remember! once you have a Green Deal Advice Report, you can go to many Providers to get your quotations.
How it works…
The Green Deal Assessment basically consists of an Energy Performance Certificate, followed by an Occupancy Assessment which asks the owner/occupiers about the way in which they use the property, heating and hot water in order that the general EPC is tailored to reflect more accurately the occupants real patterns of energy need and usage. In some instances, the Owners are left dissatisfied as an improvement that is desired is not eligible for Green Deal as it does not create the savings to meet the ‘Golden Rule’, and therefore will not be financed or requires a considerable contribution at the outset by the House Owner
Always call an Independent Green Deal Adviser who may charge up to £150 for a full assessment and survey. Ensure that the Adviser is truly Independent as they may be tied to large Energy Companies and Suppliers such as British,Gas, Eon , B&Q etc. The assessment is always informative and revealing leaving you with a good idea of what would be best for your home and its occupants. Our Surveys take in excess of 2 hours, include a full EPC and Occupancy tailored report . You can then take this to any Provider to get quotations.
Be suspicious of large Providers offering you FREE Green Deal surveys, it often means you have to use them for all supplies and labour which could be far higher than necessary. Paying an Independent Adviser a small amount for the survey, means that you and Adviser can choose the best provider for your needs. Remember, nothing is really free and the Adviser MUST declare any affiliations which they have by LAW.
The Golden Rule
The Golden Rule is that the cost of the measures must be covered by the savings in energy that the measures create over the agreed term; and that’s what pays for the loan ie. the saved amount within your usual bill. So you do not get reduced energy bills until the cost of measures has been covered, but simply benefit in comfort as a result of the improvements. This is calculated for you by your GD Provider and collected as part of your electricity bill.
The GDorb (Green Deal Oversight and Registration Body) oversees the procedures for Green Deal and there are many levels of legal protection for the Consumer to ensure that the process is in your best interest.
Be suspicious of large Providers offering you FREE Green Deal surveys, it generally means that you have to use them for all supplies and labour. Whereas paying an Independent Adviser a small amount for the survey, means that you and, if required, the Adviser can choose the best provider for your needs
It is highly recommended that you research the workings of Green Deal as it is a long term (up to 25 years) commitment,
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