Smart Homes Process Note: Using an Independent installer Effective from 3 rd December 2014

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1 Smart Homes Process Note: Using an Independent installer Effective from 3 rd December 2014 Introduction This information is intended as a guide for householders and their independent installers interested in accessing a Smart Homes grant. Please refer to our frequently asked questions if you still have queries after reading this guide. The Smart Homes programme provides home improvement energy efficiency grants of up to 6,000 for eligible measures to Solid Wall or Hard To Treat Cavity privately owned homes and privately rented homes with an Energy Performance Certificate rating of F or G. The programme is being offered to home owners, private landlords and private tenants within the London boroughs of Haringey, Camden, Enfield, Hackney, Islington, and Waltham Forest. The programme is funded by a Green Deal Communities grant from the Department of Environment & Climate Change. This is a time and budget limited offer and grant funding will be allocated on a first-come first-served basis. The Smart Homes programme procured InstaGroup to help facilitate the Green Deal Assessment Report, Quotation and Installation works for customers. However householders can choose to work with any installer (subject to having the necessary Green Deal accreditations and conditions, set out below). Our website has information on how to find your own Green Deal assessor and Green Deal installer and check their accreditations. The Smart Homes programme has also appointed a Smart Advisor, with technical expertise, to review the quote obtained by the householder and administrator the grant on behalf of the Council. To access the grant, all properties will be visited by the Smart Advisor and eligible works and confirmed before installation works commence. Their role also includes approving the amount of grant funding the householder is eligible to receive, as well as agreeing payment of the grant on completion of works. To reduce the upfront cost of works to Householders, the Smart Homes programme has been designed so that the grant is paid on behalf of the householder to the installer upon satisfactory completion of works. Additional information on the programme can be found on the Smart Homes website: This information includes the following documents: Smart Homes Funding Rules Householder grant agreement Wall Insulation Standard Technical Details Planning advice documents Quotation guidance

2 Who can use an Independent Installer? Householders may use the Independent Installer Route if they already: Have a Green Deal Assessment report (GDAR) from an independent installer and want to stay with the same installer; or Have had both a GDAR and quote from an independent Green Deal installer; or Have had a GDAR and quote from InstaGroup installers but want to get a second quote from another Green Deal installer; or Have a relationship with an independent installer who is going to arrange a GDAR and quote. All GDARs used as the basis for the grant application must be recent (lodged within the last six months ) and have all eligible measures turned on. This can be assessed by looking at the improvement recommended on the existing GDAR if non-eligible measures are switched off the report is still valid. No grant may be issued retrospectively and so where a householder has already had a GDAR, this cost will not be reimbursed by the Smart Homes programme. The fixed and subsidised GDAR (at a rate of 50) for the householder is delivered exclusively through the partner arrangement with InstaGroup. What are the steps involved? Step 1 - Registration Householders will need to personally sign up on the Smart Homes Advice line ( , Mon to Fri, 9am to 7pm) and when asked, whether they have been referred by an installer should reply: They as householder have a relationship with an installer, whether that installer has already carried out a GDAR, and if so whether they already have a quote. Householders will also need to supply their existing GDAR number (RRN number) and an outline of the installer quotation. Give details of the installer, name, address and telephone number, address and whether they have already got a quote from an installer. Give details of any funding streams accessed previously (such as ECO, Green Deal loan or Green Deal Home Improvement Fund (GDHIF), and any measures installed. Smart Homes will send the householder an (or letter) to proposing registration, setting out the details submitted. This will give the householder a Unique Personal Reference Number UPRN which should be quoted in all correspondence and a form asking the customer to confirm registration. The householder is asked to complete Form A and return it to Smart Homes to confirm registration and to confirm they accept the contract below. 2

3 The initial application via the Smart Homes Advice line is a contract between the householder and London Borough of Haringey. The householder will also be asked to agree to the terms of the Smart Homes project, including Consent to personal data being used by the London Borough of Haringey, its agents and the Department of Energy and Climate Change for the purposes of the Smart Homes project. Consent to the full copy of the Green Deal Assessment Report being made available to London Borough of Haringey. Agreement that the London Borough of Haringey will arrange a visit by a Smart Advisor to confirm the measures that may be funded under the grant and the suitability of my property for these measures. The Smart Advisor does not provide guidance on credit or finance and is not in any way responsible for the design, installation, and planning permission or sign off any grant funded work that may follow. Smart Homes will confirm receipt of the acceptance and send a letter and Form B which confirms the address to which the GDAR and quotation must be submitted for the grant process. Step2 Submitting Proposed Works for Approval The householder can proceed by submitting Form B and a copy of their GDAR, together with the full Quotation and specification they have received from their independent installer to the address specified in the confirmation of registration with a copy to the smarthomes@haringey.gov.uk address. Where applicable, Planning Permission and or Listed Building Consent must be included. Any work outside the scope of the grant should be itemised separately and not included in the Proposed Works submitted. Please see the documents on the Smart Homes website for details of the requirements. Any Green Deal loan agreement and/or ECO will be arranged by the independent installer. The final quote, schedule of works and specification should be issued to the householder and Smart Advisor, along with the Independent Installer Grant details form B attached below. The Smart Advisor will contact the householder to make an appointment and request a copy of proof of installer accreditations of PAS 2030 and Green Deal certification and any further information required. The Smart Advisor will, on their own, contact the householder. The installer may not be present at any home visit. The Smart Advisor will consider the Proposed Works. Incorrect submissions may be returned without detailed consideration if the Smart Advisor is unable to properly consider them. A copy of the Smart Advisor s report will be sent to both the householder and the installer. The report will also review and agree the quote for the purposes of the grant. The quote provided by the installer should include the total sum, Householder Contribution, ECO grant and the Smart Homes grant applied for plus any additional householder payment.. Where the total works costs inc VAT is over the sum of the maximum Smart Homes grant plus ECO grant plus Householder Contribution, then the balance will be payable as an additional householder payment. 3

4 The calculation of the Smart Homes grant payable is as follows: Smart Homes Grant = Total cost of eligible works inc. VAT (Householder Contribution + additional householder contribution +ECO grant where available) The maximum grant funding available for works which include solid wall or HTTC insulation is 6,000 (including VAT). The maximum grant funding available for other eligible energy efficiency measures is 3,000 (including VAT). This is a time and budget limited offer, and grant funding will be allocated on a first-come first-served basis. Please see the Smart Homes Funding Rules for the full details. Note: An additional grant of 500 towards the cost of installing energy saving measures is available for the first 20 dwellings that agree to become Open Homes and show their installed energy efficiency measures to local residents. The Smart Advisor may discuss the quote over the phone or by - either to approve or ask for changes. The Smart Advisor will send confirmation that the installer is approved as an independent installer and that the grant has been approved to both the householder and the installer. Step 3 Offer of Smart Homes grant On receipt of the Smart Advisor s Final Report and letter of grant approval, Haringey Smart Homes will issue a copy of the Householder agreement to the householder and Installer for the householder to sign and return once Haringey Council receive the signed Householder Agreement, the works can begin. It is the householder s responsibility to ensure the works are carried out satisfactorily. Once the signed grant agreement is received back by Smart Homes Haringey the independent installer will be sent grant claim Form C to claim the payment of grant on completion of the work. The installer will also be sent a form to complete in order to enable the supplier to be registered as an authorised supplier for Smart Homes. The independent installer must complete this form and return it to Haringey Smart Homes. The installer will then be issued with a reference number which must be quoted and used when a request for payment is made. All Installers may be subject to a spot check by the Smart Advisor, at any time during works. Upon completion the Installer shall issue the householder with PAS 2030 certificate of conformity, obtain the householder s signature to confirm satisfactory completion and issue the 25 year insurance backed guarantee. 4

5 Step 4 Request for payment of Smart Homes grant To facilitate payment, the installer must complete the Independent Installer Invoice and Grant Claim form C and attach copies of the documents listed to the request for payment. Each request for payment of Smart Homes grant must be submitted separately to Smart Homes Haringey. The payment reference number for the grant application must be stated on the grant claim form. Payments cannot be made without the payment reference numbers. Private Rented Sector Properties with an initial F or G rating which are improved Post EPC must have their new EPC rating identified by Installers on the grant claim form submitted. 5

6 Form A Smart Homes Independent Installer Registration Please this form to smarthomes@haringey.gov.uk Or post to: Smart Homes programme Environmental Resources River Park House High Road Wood Green N22 8HQ Customer Name Customer Address Property Address Customer Unique Personal Reference Number Existing Green Deal Advice Report Number Name of Installer Business Contact Position Address Tel Mobile Business registration no/ Company VAT Registration PAS 2030 Registration PAS 2030 certified measures Green Deal Certification /scope/registration number Services provided and guarantees offered Are you a member of a Competent persons Scheme for the purpose of self certification under Building Control? Certification body and membership No Yes/No 6

7 Smart Homes Independent Installer Grant details form B Once the customer has accepted the quotation and is ready to proceed with works, the installer will complete and submit the following information to request formal approval of works and grant eligibility. The form and documents can be sent on behalf of the customer by to: smarthomes@ecda.co.uk and smarthomes@haringey.gov.uk Item Installer Contact details 1. Name of Business 2. Business address 3. Post Code 4. Tel / Mobile PAS 2030 Registration 7. PAS 2030 certified measures Customer details 8. Customer UPRN 9. Grant Recipient/ Householder First Name 10. Grant Recipient/ Householder Surname 11. Property Address 12. Property Address Town 13. Property Address Post code 14. Contact 15. *Grant Recipient Address if Different to Property Address 16. *Town if Different to Property Address 17. *Post code if Different to Property Address 18. Confirm if the Grant Recipient is the Freeholder/ Leaseholder/ Tenant/Landlord Breakdown of how the works will be paid for 19. Total cost of eligible and ancillary works: 20. Smart Homes Grant Funding 21. ECO Funding Amount 7

8 22. Green Deal Finance Contribution 23. Customer Contribution 24. VAT Amount 25. Total Cost incl. VAT 26. GDAR RRN 27. Request for additional 500 show home bonus grant [] Please confirm 28. The landlord s AND tenant s agreement has been given for works [] 29. The necessary consents, licences, conditions and permissions relating to works have been obtained [] Please provide a copy of the following 30. The quote, schedule of works and specification 31. Standard Technical Details information and documents *Note: Items No 15, 16, & 17 - The contact address to send the Householder any documentation such as the Grant Agreement for the recipient to sign. (For example, if the recipient is a landlord applying for the grant, we will need to know the address where they reside, or for a business where their office is registered). Once the Smart Advisor has reviewed the information supplied, validated the installer accreditations and decided the grant application, they will issue their final report with the approval of the grant section completed to the Householder and the Installer. A copy of the grant agreement will be sent to the Householder and Installer for the Householder to sign. It is recommended that Installers check that Householders complete this and return it promptly before commencing works. 8

9 Smart Homes Independent Installer Invoice and Grant Claim form C This checklist must be submitted after works completion in order to request payment of an approved Smart Homes grant. smarthomes@haringey.gov.uk Or post to: Smart Homes programme Environmental Resources River Park House High Road Wood Green N22 8HQ Installer details Name of Installer Business Contact Tel / Mobile Property details Smart Homes UPRN Property Address Borough Grant Recipient name Grant recipient address The Grant Recipient is (select): The landlord s AND tenant s agreement has been given for works GDAR RRN Initial EPC / GDAR rating Post EPC rating EPC RRN Is this a Private Rented Sector property with an initial F or G rating that was improved to an EPC E or better through the installed measures? CO2 saved Total cost of eligible and ancillary works Householder Contribution Breakdown of how the works will be paid for GD Plan / Loan ECO contribution Householder contribution Smart Homes Grant incl VAT Freeholder / Leaseholder / tenant /landlord Have you attached the following evidence? PAS 2030 certificate of conformity signed by householder to confirm satisfactory completion A copy of the 25 year guarantee A copy of the quote and schedule of works 9