Heavy Sighs As Heavy Subsidies Hope Subsides

Chris Beedel

The anticipation the Green Homes Grant would cover doors and windows has been dashed. Homeowners will not, after all, have their replacements heavily subsidised when the scheme launches in September.

Installers are doubly disappointed - firstly they had orders stalled or cancelled as homeowners thought they'd wait for a bargain and now there will be little or no work coming their way as a result of the Grant.

Now that further details of the Green Homes Grant scheme have been released, it has become clear that only single glazed windows will qualify for replacement - but really the scheme is focused on insulation and energy.

 

Missed opportunity

“Frustratingly, the Green Homes Grant scheme will be seen as a missed opportunity by everyone across the glazing industry,” says Chris Beedel, Director of Membership for FENSA. “FENSA will continue to engage with BEIS [Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy] to ensure that Government sees the positive contribution that replacement windows and doors can make to the energy efficiency of homes in the UK.”

 

Disappointment

However, it was the nature of the announcement of the Green Homes Grant scheme that has caused the greatest frustration, says Beedel: “The nature of the announcement of Green Homes resulted in widespread speculation amongst homeowners that they would be broadly entitled to substantial discounts, which resulted in the inevitable and highly damaging cancellation of hundreds of orders. This had the reverse effect of stimulating business and creating jobs and damaged window installation companies throughout England and Wales."

 

Too strict criteria

“Furthermore,” says Beedel, “even the relatively few homes to which the Green Homes window and door grants will now apply, can only be installed by companies who have additionally been certificated against the PAS2030 standard, when the opportunity should have gone to all FENSA Approved Installers and other government sponsored competent persons schemes.”

 

 “We firmly believe the glazing industry has a major role to play in hitting energy efficiency targets and FENSA will continue to engage with BEIS to ensure that government sees the positive contribution that replacement windows and doors can make to the energy efficiency of homes in the UK.”

– Chris Beedel 

Director of Membership, FENSA

 

Picture: Chris Beedel.

www.fensa.org.uk

Article written by Cathryn Ellis
10th August 2020

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