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Fri March 29 2024

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Green Deal consultant denies policy in trouble

27 Jun 13 Home assessments for Green Deal energy improvement schemes are running at nearly double the forecast rate, according to a firm that helps contractors get certified.

Easy Green Deal said that 19,000 homes had already been assessed, way ahead of the project target of 10,000.

It also claims that the Green Deal has already created “tens of thousands of British jobs” and refutes widespread reports that Green Deal financed installations remain in single figures.

Easy Green Deal helps installers and assessor organisations complete the Green Deal accreditation process. It claims to have helped “thousands” of electricians, roofers, plumbers and heating engineers become Green Deal Certified.

Marketing manager Thomas Farquhar said: “The Green Deal has got off to a fantastic start. Judging by how many companies are using us to help gain Green Deal accreditation we can see a thoroughly positive future ahead for the industry. As with any new scheme, it takes time for the consumers to understand and commit so I think we will be seeing a big up take over the coming months. It's important to remember this is a brand new scheme which only launched this year and is here for the long run."

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Others are also keen to help ministers talk up the scheme and see it succeed. Mark Bayley, chief executive of the Green Deal Finance Company, said it was a good thing that it was proving so slow to get off the ground. “By taking our time to lay solid foundations we are building a long-term sustainable structure. This process is thorough and, as such, takes time, but we want the Green Deal to have longevity,” he said.

He said that, despite 'snagging issues' there was now a £244m funding package in place and ready to flow.

“Of the 63 accredited domestic Green Deal Providers, 46 have either completed or are undergoing our very strict on-boarding process to access Green Deal finance,” he said. “Three providers have completed the process enabling them to take their Green Deal finance offer to market and we are extremely pleased that in the next month we should have many more providers approved. However, while we are proud to have set up this market, we do acknowledge that there are a number of ‘snagging’ issues that have slowed the process down.”

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