http://www.energyefficiencynews.com/articles/i/5173/?cid=3

The UK government yesterday unveiled details of the next steps for its flagship Green Deal home efficiency scheme, along with measures to strengthen consumer protection.

The secondary legislation laid out by Energy Secretary Ed Davey also outlines the implementation of the Energy Company Obligation (ECO), which will require suppliers to provide help for the most vulnerable and harder to treat properties.

The government wants to have the rules for the Green Deal, which will allow householders and businesses to undertake energy efficiency improvements without upfront costs paid for out of energy savings, and ECO in place by October.

The latest iteration of the plans in response to some 600 responses to its consultation will include tighter consumer protections, such as restrictions on cold calling and requiring Green Deal assessors to reveal any commission they might receive or ties with providers.

The government also claims that while it has relaxed requirements on participating businesses to hold warranties for the length of a Green Deal plan, which could be up to 25 years, customers will still benefit from "robust minimum standards of protection".

"We have listened very carefully to what industry, consumer groups, and other organisations have told us," Davey said yesterday. "I am determined to make sure that, in addition to creating huge opportunities for Green Deal providers and businesses along with thousands of new jobs, this new market in energy efficiency will deliver the very best deal for consumers."

The government wants to see a "managed, tested and careful" introduction of the Green Deal, providing an excellent customer service from day one, he added.

Further legislation covering the details of the scheme will come out in coming weeks, including a code of practice.

From August this year, accredited certification bodies will be able to register with the yet-to-be-announced oversight body to take part in the Green Deal, followed by the registration of assessors and installers.

Providers will need to be 'ready to start work' in October, with the first Green Deal plans being signed in January 2013.

The government will also shortly announce the ombudsman for the Green Deal and details of the investigation service, which will deal with customer problems and complaints.

In tandem, the plans for the ECO will have an increased focus on poorer areas, according to the government's statement, which should see an extra 100,000 homes in low-income areas benefitting each year taking the total to around 230,000.

But the announcement comes amid media reports that industry support for the scheme is floundering because of concerns over low take-up of the scheme by householders.

There have also been reports that the group of companies planning to establish a Green Deal finance company had ceased discussions until details of the scheme were finalised by the government.