Green Home Grant application - have you had a response?

[joth]

It's gotten worse, I have sent two comparison quotes and the response from my installer, they just replied asking what the property address was (despite me including the ref number on both emails) the when I supplied that they responded again with a rehash of the original complaint that we're above average price and they need to see a comparison quote or an explanation from the installer. I've just hit the wine, I'll attempt to make a politely worded response over the weekend.

 

 

[Matt R]

On 31/12/2020 at 22:38, joth said:

It's gotten worse, I have sent two comparison quotes and the response from my installer, they just replied asking what the property address was (despite me including the ref number on both emails) the when I supplied that they responded again with a rehash of the original complaint that we're above average price and they need to see a comparison quote or an explanation from the installer. I've just hit the wine, I'll attempt to make a politely worded response over the weekend.

 

 

Sounds as bad as the reply I got which said 

 

‘Thank you for contacting the Green Homes Grant Scheme.

 

I am happy to confirm that you have passed DPA, and I have uploaded all your documents to your case.

 

It will now be reviewed and we will email you with an update.

 

Thank you for contacting the Green Homes Grant Scheme’

 

Any clues as to what ‘DPA’ is? And only now that has been passed are they considering my application !!! Just what have they been doing the past few months !!! It’s just a joke

[newhome]

17 minutes ago, Matt R said:

Any clues as to what ‘DPA’ is?

Data Protection Act possibly. 
 

[joth]

I heard the other day that most of the processing of applications is done in USA (outsourced I assume, which does explain the strange time of replies and on UK bank holidays).

So total speculation here but perhaps there's a UK team that first review every case and check there's no personal information in it that is outside the terms of the safe harbour agreement that allows them to send it to a non GDPR country for processing. 

[Matt R]

So, just to update, I've been having a 'web chat' with the GHG people and they have confirmed the 9:30pm xmas eve email was a global email sent out in error.  the frontline staff had no idea it was going ahead.

However, as to progress of my application, how long is a piece of string.  all thay can see is that they have everything they need and it is being processed.  

I asked for a "from experience how long on on average does it it" estimate and was told 2 months.    The clock is ticking

DPA - as 'newhome' suggests, is indeed data protection act.   And they confirmed there was no need for it being mentioned in the email.... i  give up (nearly)

 

[tanneja]

Probably not very useful, but just to contribute, I applied for EWI about 5 days after the scheme opened, and got my voucher approval email on 1st Dec.  Due to install next month (expiry date of my voucher is end of March 2021).  Am shocked if the approval numbers are as low as one post in this chain suggests.

[Matt R]

10 hours ago, tanneja said:

Probably not very useful, but just to contribute, I applied for EWI about 5 days after the scheme opened, and got my voucher approval email on 1st Dec.  Due to install next month (expiry date of my voucher is end of March 2021).  Am shocked if the approval numbers are as low as one post in this chain suggests.

Very useful contribution, especially as you're one of the few to have actually had relative success with the GHG.

So your approval took approx best part of 3 months? Considering it took 3 months get approval I think leaving you 4 months to get the work done isn't great, (considering winter months/xmas break/lockdowns etc) I would have hoped the date of the voucher could be extended to March 2022 as per the revised scheme? 

 

[tanneja]

14 minutes ago, Matt R said:

Very useful contribution, especially as you're one of the few to have actually had relative success with the GHG.

So your approval took approx best part of 3 months? Considering it took 3 months get approval I think leaving you 4 months to get the work done isn't great, (considering winter months/xmas break/lockdowns etc) I would have hoped the date of the voucher could be extended to March 2022 as per the revised scheme? 

 

I managed to mistakenly think my voucher expiry was 2022 when I got the email saying the scheme had been extended.  I thought recently just to look again and saw the 2021 date.  I called the GHG scheme and they said only in very exceptional circumstances would they consider an extension to the voucher, which in my case seemed very unlikely.

[joth]

The latest response has my case descending into toal farce. 

As previously reported, I got the Christmas Eve "your quote is too high" mass email. After two week's badgering it turns out they include VAT in the quote price (??!) and my installer miscalculated it so I had him turn around a new quote same day (5% instead of 20% VAT) and returned to them. This installer has had 2 identical quotes approved, so should be no problem.

 

Jan 6th they confirmed they had all they needed and were waiting for the quote to be reviewed.

Jan 13 I chased up and they re-confirmed they have all the need, and waiting for their internal team to do the review.

 

Last night:

We recently sent an email to you detailing specific information needed to progress and issue your voucher.

This email is a reminder that your application will continue to remain on hold until we receive the information requested. However, if we do not hear back from you within the next seven calendar days your application will be rejected.

If you have already actioned this request and have been told we need nothing further from you, then please ignore this email.

 

 

WTF? Was December 24 "recently"?  On Jan 6th they had all they needed so how can they be sending this update on Jan 28th? 

So I have 7 calendar days to return as-yet unknown information to them.

 

Think it's 4 months since I applied now.

And even when you finally get the fabled voucher, seems they're not paying them up to the installers,  Can we call it an Omnishambles yet?

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jan/26/government-plans-to-turn-england-homes-green-in-chaos-with-debt-and-job-losses

Edited January 29, 2021 by joth

[newhome]

3 hours ago, joth said:

Last night:

We recently sent an email to you detailing specific information needed to progress and issue your voucher.

It appears that many people received that email, like you after having sent the information already requested. The whole thing is a farce. 
 

[jfb]

It appears that suppliers are having big problems getting paid months after the work has been done - is it yet another quality government outsourcing success!

 

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jan/28/green-homes-grant-uk-standards-body-calls-on-government-to-pay-up

[PeterW]

46 minutes ago, jfb said:

It appears that suppliers are having big problems getting paid months after the work has been done - is it yet another quality government outsourcing success!

 

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/jan/28/green-homes-grant-uk-standards-body-calls-on-government-to-pay-up

so if it wasn’t outsourced, how would you have delivered it ..??

 

Outsource contracts are only as good as the requirements, and the civil service are notoriously poor at writing deliverable requirements. The concept of an outcomes based contract is alien as despite asking for it, the business rules they provide are so onerous you have no flexibility to deliver. 

[tanneja]

Our install of EWI is due first week of March with a voucher for £5k from the scheme, the installer hasn't raised any concerns with me about any of this, from my perspective hopefully it still goes ahead.

[jfb]

1 hour ago, PeterW said:

so if it wasn’t outsourced, how would you have delivered it ..??

it was a cheap shot I admit- I don't have a magic solution! But it really does seem poor for a scheme that already has low supplier take up to be a really slow payer to the suppliers.

[joth]

2 small updates

 

- Monday we had a ridiculous email from GHG complaining our ASHP supplier hadn't listed on their quote what heating system it was replacing. I politely pointed out to them that (a) the old gas heating system was removed over a year ago, (b) it's none of the installer's business to be describing a system they've never seen or had a part in, (c) I've been emailing and phoning GHG on an almost weekly basis for 4 months complaining about the time they're taking and asking for expedition of the process exactly because we are struggling through winter with no central heating system, so they really should be well aware of this fact, and not taken 4 months to come back to me with this enquiry,

 

- Today, we received the voucher. Small miracles. 127 days from application to approval.

 

 

[joth]

On 29/01/2021 at 11:04, PeterW said:

so if it wasn’t outsourced, how would you have delivered it ..??

 

Outsource contracts are only as good as the requirements, and the civil service are notoriously poor at writing deliverable requirements. The concept of an outcomes based contract is alien as despite asking for it, the business rules they provide are so onerous you have no flexibility to deliver. 

 

I think a lot of complication comes from the fact it's outsourced to the USA. Very simple points like for me at least, they're comparing quotes including VAT, and reject quotes with too high total cost. Given different projects come under different VAT rates, and that a higher VAT rate is actually in governments favour, it seems ludicrous that they're not comparing prices ex VAT.  As it is, they actively penalize anyone that chooses to undertake a full VAT projects. (I agree, this maybe a case of poor requirements, but being in USA means they don't have experience in parsing a UK£ quotation so they may have just been applying the rules incorrectly in my case, or just lacking some common sense in pointing out the system they're implementing is brain dead)

 

Similarly, they struggle with the concept and purpose of of a "combi boiler". In the US, they have "furnaces". Added to the fact that comms going via 1 month+ email turn around and the UK phone number is staffed by people that can't process cases, just type things into emails for the backend team, it leads to stupid frustration and wasting time.

 

[Matt R]

so, after my 3rd web-chat with them over the last 2 months today, and after sending everything I have information wise stopping just short of paternal grandmothers inside leg measurement and blood group of her next door neighbours cat, I'm finally  fobbed off yet again saying that i need to pass the Experian part of the application!!!  WTAF !!!!!

Having a full hours break from work I decided to give them a call at the same time as being on the web chat and play one off against the other, furious as to why after submitting all I have after the xmas eve email and being told on 3 occasions since 'no its fine we have all we need, just sit tight your application is being processed.  Apparently their 'SOPHISTICATED' system tells them when cases need further information.  which is all well and good but its not that SOPHISTICATED that it tells the applicant.  

spoke to a very helpful person (unless they were just grand masters of the fob off and I've been had again) who stated that I needed to send in further information,  after telling them thats what i did after the xmas eve email they then looked further into it, and proclaimed, 'oh i see', i'll send it on to the next stage then for audit team !!!!  I asked the question why has it taken 3 web chats and a call to progress to the audit team, when this could have been done in early Jan after I'd sent all of the information in.  to which i simply got the reply.  'i can understand your frustration'  

 

the word farce doesn't even do it justice

 

And as for SOPHISTICATED system, i asked the GHG agent to look up the word oxymoron

 

[stewart]

I applied for the grant on 1st Feb, and had the voucher issued today. Just over two weeks from application to the voucher being issued. My installer did say he was amazed it was approved so quickly. So in my experience it has been a quick hassle free system. For info I'm getting a ASHP,  just over 9k installed and live West Durham area. Got the full 5k on the voucher which means just over 4k upfront. Coupled with the RHI it's a no brainer imo. 

[rh2205]

@stewart I know resurrecting this thread! How did you get through so quickly? Also what size heat pump have you got? I didn’t find anyone with an install cost under 11k went out to 4 including one non mcs accredited installer before COVID obviously didn’t hit the jackpot like some of you as all were within 500-1k of each other just wondering if it’s the cost of our quote but then we need a big heat pump as big house but I don’t know what the hold up is other than some of us have bad luck  at this rate we’ll be moving back in with no heating arghh

[Luke1]

 

18 hours ago, rh2205 said:

@stewart I know resurrecting this thread! How did you get through so quickly? Also what size heat pump have you got? I didn’t find anyone with an install cost under 11k went out to 4 including one non mcs accredited installer before COVID obviously didn’t hit the jackpot like some of you as all were within 500-1k of each other just wondering if it’s the cost of our quote but then we need a big heat pump as big house but I don’t know what the hold up is other than some of us have bad luck  at this rate we’ll be moving back in with no heating arghh

 

I've had a 8KW Nibe heat pump specc'd with a full heating install as currently on electric heaters.

Quotes have come back in S of England at ~£15k, so not cheap at all, however to the GHG people it makes no odds if its more than £7,500 as they will be paying the full £5k in any case. 

 

Currently its with the 'Audit Team' because the GHG people say its too much money and they are still considering it. Along with this they asked for a load of 'new' information that was already on the quotation I had submitted!! 

 

My application was submitted in January and still nothing! Also most installers have pulled out of the scheme now due to the time it takes to get paid. 

I wonder if it will be scrapped in the budget today...

[Jinglish]

I’ve been keeping an eye on this for a while until the date was brought forward. Another success story like stewart’s post on 17^th Feb. I applied for my GHG on Monday 29^th March and have just received my voucher 21^st April. My experience has also been hassle free. I’m getting an ASHP Valliant 7kW system for £10,600 installed in Lincolnshire replacing my old oil system. With 5k on the voucher and 5.6K funded on 0% credit card with RHI payment this just make a sensible investment, thank you GHG team!

[joth]

GHG just confirmed my installer has been paid!

He was ready to do the install this time last year ago, but our build wasn't quite ready, then they announced GHG. I applied on the day the scheme opened. So basically 8 months from application to payment. Amazing.

Can't complain though: with the grant the whole system 8.5kw ecodan, 300L OSO Geocoil tank, install inc. fancoil+UFH hookup, and more certificates than I can count, cost me just over £3000. I should be able to claim more than back in RHI (If I can be bothered with 7 mores years of admin)

 

Edited May 19, 2021 by joth

[Frustrated Mark]

The Green Homes Scheme.

It is my considered opinion that the Green homes scheme is a scam orchestrated and directed by the government to be as difficult as possible to obtain the grant and I defy anyone to show me otherwise. The incompetence and stupidity of all our communication with the application team is so very bad that this work could be far better performed by many primary school children.  I make this statement on the basis that no government department or company would tolerate this level of support unless they were deliberately encouraging it.

 

We finally managed the well documented almost impossible task of finding a contractor that had undertaken the extra Trustmark training and submitted all the paperwork we were asked to supply. Unfortunately we waited several weeks after they said they had received everything before we rang to see what progress had been made. We were told, why didn't you send x, y and z etc......?   Because we were not asked to!  This was the start of what appears to be a deliberate system of being obstructive, unresponsive and manipulative.  Many, many many phone calls have been made by us and many many times we have had send new documents freshly requested and resend documents that they say have not been attached but on the email returned to us asking for a resend they are clearly visible not just as attachments but as pictures.

They tell us that the documents are not in the right format but obviously we know they are.

One person says send a copy of your passport then when we ring to confirm everything got there we are told a passport is not proof of identity send something else.

After having been told on many occasions when we phoned that everything was in place, it had all been checked and that everything was ok and it had all been forwarded for submission. We then get more emails asking for repeat copies of documents and or different  documents. Some documents we think have been sent about 10 times.

After multiple sends, re-sends and phone calls confirming everything was in place but then getting emails asking for more information we started recording the names of everyone who told us it had already all been checked and had been forwarded for approval. After the first 4 or 5 we have spoken to and had confirmed that all is well we then spoke to Stephanie, Ben, Saima, Chelsea, Joanna, Samuel etc etc. No complaints about the way the calls were taken they all apologised profusely when we explained the situation. Not one person could tell us how long we might have to wait to see if it would be approved.

 

The last straw was this Sunday. We had another email saying there must be something wrong with the machine we are sending documents from as they can't read them...Please send everything again from another machine.  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We decided to ignore it, we gave up, then today, Tuesday, an email arrives saying the driving licence sent a week or so ago ( for about the 6th time ) had been successfully put onto their system!

We have been on this farce since the start of the year. Between my Daughter and myself we have 70 plus years of business experience but this is the first time I have ever felt the need and frustration to waste more of my time and write something like this.

[rh2205]

Hah it’s a joke, I also made many written/ phone complaints stating that it was a scam & there must be some kind of contract where they get more payments if they issue less vouchers however I noticed they also had to hit a 40% approval target each month as the figures were weirdly consistent for what has been processed, either that or it’s made up. I’m certain it’s intentionally obstructive. I have been requesting my complaint goes to an ombudsman for compensation as currently living without heating/hot water however even the complaints process doesn’t seem to exist so never once had a response. Anyway after 5 months they issued the voucher a few days ago a week before install commenced as I’d given up and booked in installer anyway but I don’t feel it’s the end of my complaint (though I will stay silent whilst this next bit goes ahead).

[Jinglish]

On 19/05/2021 at 17:02, Frustrated Mark said:

The Green Homes Scheme.

It is my considered opinion that the Green homes scheme is a scam orchestrated and directed by the government to be as difficult as possible to obtain the grant and I defy anyone to show me otherwise.

 

I applied for my GHG on Monday 29^th March and received my voucher 21^st April. My experience has been hassle free so I have nothing but praise for the GHG team! However....

 

Speaking with my installer he said he was shocked at the speed my grant was processed. I am 1 of 19 customers who applied for the GHG over its course for either an air or ground source heat pump. I am the only customer who has been issued a grant to date and in "record time", some date back to November last year. I must be really lucky and can only empathize with all of you who are not getting prompt and sensible responses.

 

On a side note I read that the majority of admin work was contacted out to the USA and because of GDPR all applications needs to be anonymised first. This IMO is likely the root cause of everyone's issues. Don't sub this work out especially outside the UK.

Edited June 1, 2021 by Jinglish