The Green Deal

These days we are all expected to be experts in climate change and matters of environmental importance, we are advised that making the “green choice” is the “right choice”, but it is sometimes difficult to make sense of the enormous amount of information which is out there. People generally want to make a change for the better for themselves and for future generations, but it seems so complicated to know where to begin.

Knowing this, the Government launched the Green Deal scheme in January of this year. The idea is that we can make energy-saving improvements to our homes or businesses, through the Green Deal, paying the cost off, over time, through your electricity bill. The repayment period can be up to 25 years.

Hopefully, the electricity bill itself will be reduced due to the improvements! The Green Deal’s “Golden Rule” is that loan repayments are to be calculated at a lower rate than the anticipated savings. How this will work in practice is not yet clear, given that different families clearly have different energy requirements, and it may be that this is not possible in every case.

Although the debt itself will not be a charge (the legal term for a mortgage) on the property it will, in essence, belong to the property so, if you are buying a house with a Green Deal you will take on the responsibility for discharging the debt.

All Green Deal suppliers and installers will need to be properly authorised, which, it is hoped, will help to protect end-users and ensure that the installations are of the highest quality and efficiency available.

For those of you who have bought and sold a property recently you will be aware of the Energy Performance Certificate required at the point of marketing on all properties (with certain exceptions). In future, details of any Green Deal affecting the Property will be contained in the EPC along with details of the energy efficiency of the Property. These details will be viewable online, without charge, for any interested purchasers.

The Government explains the Green Deal, including the type of energy saving improvements which can be made, on the following webpage https://www.gov.uk/green-deal-energy-saving-measures.

If you have any more questions about the Green Deal, feel free to contact one of the Property Team here at Hartley & Worstenholme Solicitors on 01977 732222 who will be able to point you in the right direction. Alternatively you can telephone the Energy Saving Advice Service on 0300 123 1234, Monday to Friday, 9am to 8pm Saturday, 10am to 2pm.