praise where it's due - an awake local authority!

[Martin]

hells bells! - my flabber is well and truly ghasted!
I've just received the following from a local councillor friend - sent around our local neighbourhood watch -

"Beware of paying over the odds for solar panels

Wealden District Council, along with other local authorities, have become aware of a number of unscrupulous companies who are charging well above the going rates of solar panel installation, and are using high pressure selling techniques to lock homeowners into expensive deals.


“We‘ve come across one or two companies offering to install solar hot water panels for £9,000, when the likely installed costs for an average-sized house should be £2,500 to £5,000,â€Â

[Milims]

Thats fantastic - I wish our local council was as awake as that!!
I contacted ours recently and enquired about planning permission regarding solar panels and wind turbines etc and all they could tell me was that I had to write in telling them what I wanted to do and they would give it consideration - no actual advice!! I also asked if they did any grants towards it and was told to contact Environmental Health - I told them that as I used to work in that dept I know that the nearest grant they did would be a renovation grant and that wouldn't apply! So I said that I'd do some investigation and find out my self - so they asked if I found anything out could I contact them and let them know as they had no info on the subject!!! On the up side the council has put me in touch with people who do grants to make sure your house is insulated and your heating works!! So now my house is so well insulated I hardly need to use the heating- the sun shining thru the conservatory roof seems to filter thru the entire house! Toasty warm!!
Helen and Chris

[Martin]

I also heard from a friend that people seeking consent to have a roof-mounted turbine are being told by our local planners not to be so silly, and to put one up on a pole down the garden!

[the.fee.fairy]

Milim - Where di you get your grant info from?

I was looking a few months ago, but couldn't find anything relevant for this area (south-east).

[Martin]

in this area - try your local authority, otherwise it's down to EST - or whatever acronym it's under this week!
Having said that, be VERY careful to do your sums! - grants are most often not what they appear, and are often used to sell grossly overpriced old rubbish! We fit solar hot water systems that are in theory grantable, but we've never thought it worth the hassle!

[Milims]

Martin is right - try your local authority - but if they can't help my grant came from the Warm Front Team - also called the EAGA Partnership. They give a grant to make sure that your house has suitable loft insulation, cavity wall insulation, and your heating system is ok, etc. Its usually for those on a low income, single parents, the elderly etc but the range of who its available to is quite wide so its worth enquiring.
Also, for renewable resources grants the Dept of Trade and Industry web site give some info about these.
Our local authority also do things like renovation grants and another I can't remember the name of to assist in making sure that your home is up to the minimum housing standards. There are criteria such as the state of the property, vulnerable groups, financial thresholds and how long you've owned the property etc - but its always worth investigating. Try your local Environmental Health Dept for details.

Good Luck
Helen and Chris

[Milims]

Martin is right - try your local authority - but if they can't help my grant came from the Warm Front Team - also called the EAGA Partnership. They give a grant to make sure that your house has suitable loft insulation, cavity wall insulation, and your heating system is ok, etc. Its usually for those on a low income, single parents, the elderly etc but the range of who its available to is quite wide so its worth enquiring.
Also, for renewable resources grants the Dept of Trade and Industry web site give some info about these.
Our local authority also do things like renovation grants and another I can't remember the name of to assist in making sure that your home is up to the minimum housing standards. There are criteria such as the state of the property, vulnerable groups, financial thresholds and how long you've owned the property etc - but its always worth investigating. Try your local Environmental Health Dept for details.

Good Luck
Helen and Chris