I watched the tail end of a debate on the Parliament Channel on Monday evening on the subject of the Warm Front scheme. In the course of the debate, the Energy and Climate Change Minister said:
We are making more changes to the way in which work is allocated to the scheme in order to be even more competitive.
Under the new arrangements, which are now being rolled out across England, up to 35 per cent. of work will be allocated to appointed installers at a new, competitively derived, set price. For the remaining 65 per cent. of work, Warm Front-registered installers operating in each region will be able to bid via an electronic auction to establish the lowest price. That will help to ensure the continued focus on maintaining a competitive pricing structure. It will also provide customers with a choice when a contribution is required. Individual households will be free to choose between the three lowest bidders and will have access to the installer's performance rating, which will be measured through Eaga audits.
How you become an "appointed" or "registered" installer is not mentioned, but the danger is that the "appointed" and "registered" installer's accolade will only be given to British Gas and other large companies.
Perhaps the Trade bodies such IPHE and ARGI should be lobbying the government on behalf of the independent installer so they have a better chance of picking up some of the work.
Another possibility is that any firm of installers which is on the Government backed TrustMark list of "reliable trustworthy tradesmen" should automatically be "appointed" or "registered".
We are making more changes to the way in which work is allocated to the scheme in order to be even more competitive.
Under the new arrangements, which are now being rolled out across England, up to 35 per cent. of work will be allocated to appointed installers at a new, competitively derived, set price. For the remaining 65 per cent. of work, Warm Front-registered installers operating in each region will be able to bid via an electronic auction to establish the lowest price. That will help to ensure the continued focus on maintaining a competitive pricing structure. It will also provide customers with a choice when a contribution is required. Individual households will be free to choose between the three lowest bidders and will have access to the installer's performance rating, which will be measured through Eaga audits.
How you become an "appointed" or "registered" installer is not mentioned, but the danger is that the "appointed" and "registered" installer's accolade will only be given to British Gas and other large companies.
Perhaps the Trade bodies such IPHE and ARGI should be lobbying the government on behalf of the independent installer so they have a better chance of picking up some of the work.
Another possibility is that any firm of installers which is on the Government backed TrustMark list of "reliable trustworthy tradesmen" should automatically be "appointed" or "registered".