Posted on 2013-11-21 | 03:16

Roger has urged his constituents to take care when choosing a company to carry out a Green Deal assessment after cases came to light of people paying for services which they did not receive.

The Government’s Green Deal scheme aims to help people improve the energy efficiency of their homes by installing green technology without up-front costs. Instead, they take out a loan which is then repaid through the savings to their energy bill over a period of time. However, some unscrupulous companies have taken advantage of people’s concern about skyrocketing energy bills and have vharged people for “Green Deal” services which have not been provided.

Roger said: "It is completely unacceptable for my constituents to be ripped off in this way."

Roger was contacted by constituents who had paid for assessments which were never carried out. He commented: “The Green Deal was a good scheme but, unfortunately, it has become a hunting ground for rogue companies who are out to scam people. Such companies take down payments of several hundred pounds for assessments to be carried out. They then excuse the failure to actually carry out the assessment by saying that there is a shortage of Green Deal accredited assessors. It is completely unacceptable for my constituents to be ripped off in this way.”

Roger has written to the Minister of State for Climate Change, Gregory Barker MP, to point out the exploitation of the Green Deal scheme by unscrupulous companies. He highlighted the problems caused to his constituents by one company in particular, Becoming Green UK Limited. This company claim to offer a “managed service”, and took money allegedly in order to pay an accredited Green Dealassessor. However, the company failed to actually arrange the assessment and instead provided only excuses. One constituent was even left without heating for a significant period of time due to the company’s ineptitude.

"I urge people to be cautious when paying upfront for a Green Deal assessment to be carried out."

Speaking after meeting constituents who have been caused problems by companies’ exploitation of the deal, Roger said: “I urge people to be cautious when paying upfront for a Green Deal assessment to be carried out. Sadly, what could have been a very useful scheme has been damaged by its association with companies which are either deliberately dishonest or simply inefficient.”

Becoming Green drew public criticism in summer 2012, when it came to light that it had been bussing in prisoners and paying them £3 per day to work in its call centre, following which it sacked paid members of staff.