Govt to promote House loans for energy improvements yet.
Discussion
Now maybe I dreamed about this as I can't find any links, but on BBC R4 Today and the BBC1 Breakfast programmes there were items about a proposed scheme to provide loans up to £10k for house improvements. All on the back of the climate change malarkey.
Loft insulation, cavity wall insulation, double glazing, heating system updates, all the usual guff and scaremongering.
If energy prices go up this winter by x% the average household energy bill will go up by £100, and if you take out this loan your energy bill will only go up by £70 type of hollyhocks.
BBC bod said but you still have to pay the loan back, which will be attached to your property for 25 years, and you will have to pass onto the new owner. Yes said the spokesperson for whoever "you still have to pay back the loan in increased energy prices."
"At what interest rate?" asked the BBC.
"Er well the details aren't worked out," said the spokesperson.
Well was I dreaming? I can't access iplayer to check it out, and as said no links yet.
BUT what... the... hell are these people on?
They want to get people fixed with thousands of debt for their education.
Now they want us to attach debt to our property. (Yes I know!!!)
And how will it be paid back? Higher energy prices for everybody? Or just those who've taken out the loan?
Plus I'm really convinced -not- that unlike the grant scheme there won't be a load of scummy contractors ringing up trying to persuade me to trust a stranger to do work that I don't want doing by somebody who just happened to ring my phone number or knock on the door.
Just feck off and die.
Or it could be just another Govt idea being floated for feedback.
Or it could just have been a nightmare. You tell me folks.
Only good thing is that it isn't money just being handed out willy nilly, which is what Labour would do, and did.
:aaand breathe:
Loft insulation, cavity wall insulation, double glazing, heating system updates, all the usual guff and scaremongering.
If energy prices go up this winter by x% the average household energy bill will go up by £100, and if you take out this loan your energy bill will only go up by £70 type of hollyhocks.
BBC bod said but you still have to pay the loan back, which will be attached to your property for 25 years, and you will have to pass onto the new owner. Yes said the spokesperson for whoever "you still have to pay back the loan in increased energy prices."
"At what interest rate?" asked the BBC.
"Er well the details aren't worked out," said the spokesperson.
Well was I dreaming? I can't access iplayer to check it out, and as said no links yet.
BUT what... the... hell are these people on?
They want to get people fixed with thousands of debt for their education.
Now they want us to attach debt to our property. (Yes I know!!!)
And how will it be paid back? Higher energy prices for everybody? Or just those who've taken out the loan?
Plus I'm really convinced -not- that unlike the grant scheme there won't be a load of scummy contractors ringing up trying to persuade me to trust a stranger to do work that I don't want doing by somebody who just happened to ring my phone number or knock on the door.
Just feck off and die.
Or it could be just another Govt idea being floated for feedback.
Or it could just have been a nightmare. You tell me folks.
Only good thing is that it isn't money just being handed out willy nilly, which is what Labour would do, and did.
:aaand breathe:
Not a dream apparently, I'm still sane.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jun/02/...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/jun/02/...
Grauniad said:
Solar panels and other forms of small-scale energy generation may be eligible for a government-backed loan scheme to householders, according to the UK's minister of state for climate change. The potential inclusion of renewable energy in the coalition's flagship "green deal" comes as a surprise, as the development of the scheme has so far focused on energy efficiency measures such as lagging lofts.
Papers published by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (Decc) on Thursday show that the 14 million householders expected to qualify for a complete energy-saving overhaul in the next 10 years may be able to choose from 23 different technologies, including cavity wall insulation and draught proofing but also covering solar water heating, wood burning stoves and biomass boilers.
"We are leaving the window open for micro generation technologies. It could happen in the future," said Greg Barker.
Under the scheme, which it is hoped will be rolled out from next year, all 25m homes in Britain will ultimately be assessed and owners will be offered loans by high street companies for energy-saving measures. Repayments will theoretically be offset for consumers by savings on energy bills, and the debts will be attached to properties rather than individuals.
But Barker said it would not be like a conventional bank loan. "It will not be a loan. It will not count against people's credit rating. This is a revolution that will ricochet around the world. This is the most ambitious energy-saving programme anywhere since the second world war. It will do for environmental efficiency what privatisation did for industrial efficiency. The fact is you should be better off from day one. You will have a better property that is easier to heat. Your fuel bill should be less. This is about unleashing new technologies. We have got to do 14m homes by the early 2020s and 25m by 2030." .
Barker said that companies including John Lewis, B&Q, Marks & Spencer, Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury's are now set to offer the packages to consumers, with installation work to be done by certified assessors and contractors bound by law to work to meet agreed standards.
Critics of the scheme have said that few people will be attracted because the money borrowed is expected to be at expensive commercial rates of interest. But Barker hinted that more incentives would be offered. "I am sure I am sure there will be more incentives to come. We are in discussions with the Treasury," he said.
According to the papers published today there will be different options for householders on the length of repayments, defined standards of service for assessors and installers will need to be members of a green deal accredited certification body. Providers will need to hold a consumer credit licence to provide consumers protection against mis-selling.
Papers published by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (Decc) on Thursday show that the 14 million householders expected to qualify for a complete energy-saving overhaul in the next 10 years may be able to choose from 23 different technologies, including cavity wall insulation and draught proofing but also covering solar water heating, wood burning stoves and biomass boilers.
"We are leaving the window open for micro generation technologies. It could happen in the future," said Greg Barker.
Under the scheme, which it is hoped will be rolled out from next year, all 25m homes in Britain will ultimately be assessed and owners will be offered loans by high street companies for energy-saving measures. Repayments will theoretically be offset for consumers by savings on energy bills, and the debts will be attached to properties rather than individuals.
But Barker said it would not be like a conventional bank loan. "It will not be a loan. It will not count against people's credit rating. This is a revolution that will ricochet around the world. This is the most ambitious energy-saving programme anywhere since the second world war. It will do for environmental efficiency what privatisation did for industrial efficiency. The fact is you should be better off from day one. You will have a better property that is easier to heat. Your fuel bill should be less. This is about unleashing new technologies. We have got to do 14m homes by the early 2020s and 25m by 2030." .
Barker said that companies including John Lewis, B&Q, Marks & Spencer, Asda, Tesco and Sainsbury's are now set to offer the packages to consumers, with installation work to be done by certified assessors and contractors bound by law to work to meet agreed standards.
Critics of the scheme have said that few people will be attracted because the money borrowed is expected to be at expensive commercial rates of interest. But Barker hinted that more incentives would be offered. "I am sure I am sure there will be more incentives to come. We are in discussions with the Treasury," he said.
According to the papers published today there will be different options for householders on the length of repayments, defined standards of service for assessors and installers will need to be members of a green deal accredited certification body. Providers will need to hold a consumer credit licence to provide consumers protection against mis-selling.
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