Clearview Midlands September 2014 - Issue 154 | Page 27

INDUSTRYNEWS

The Next Generation of

Bi-folding Doors

Leads2trade slams
government’s
decision on
Green Deal
The Director of one of the
UK’s largest online lead
generation and installer
support companies has
hit out, following the
government’s decision to
curtail a cashback scheme
offering £7,600 to people to
improve the energy efficiency
of their homes.
The Green Deal Home
Improvement Fund (GDHIF),
the scheme was intended
to give a boost to the
government’s flagship energy
efficiency programme.
But it proved too popular
and an announcement by
government that it would cut
the maximum pay-out sparked
a mad rush of applications; so
the final £70m of the allocated
£120m was snapped up in a
matter of days.
The decision has caused
anger in the sectors involved.
Leads2trade Director Andy
Royle comments: “We operate
in the heating, fenestration
and renewable sector and
have hundreds of members,
many of whom are livid
at the way this has been
handled. After the debacle
that happened regarding the
FIT rate we expected future
energy schemes to be handled
better. It appears we are back
to a boom and bust way of
operating.

“It’s a setback for the industry
as the scheme was working and
companies had geared up for
it. We now need a long term
strategy to provide stability and
avoid peaks and troughs. To can
an initiative like this is a very
poor show and many members
have been in touch with us to
vent their frustrations.”
Andy also says that the
announcement raises further
questions over the Gr