Unless you’ve been locked away in a ceiling somewhere you have to be aware of the current commotion surrounding the government’s ceiling insulation scheme fiasco. Until recently, few people would have known what the benefits of ceiling insulation were, but nowadays the press is saturated with stories about it and about changes to the insulation stimulus package, solar hot water and solar power rebates and unfortunately, also about a few shonky installers.
Now, I don’t want to add fuel to the fire or drill down into licensing laws or codes of conduct for operators, however I do, on the whole, support the green initiatives and measures that have been taken by government in recent times.These have been instrumental in:
-Stimulating our economy, by getting people back to work
-Greening our homes and places of work
-Increasing public awareness about environmental issues in general
-Saving energy and minimizing our reliance on coal produced power
-Encouraging the use of alternative energy sources
-Saving average Australian families money on reduced power bills, and with rebates that assist with the capital outlay required to purchase energy generating or energy saving products.
Most would agree that financial incentives, rebates, or stimulus packages that assist the average family to acquire power generating or energy saving devices are a good idea. Furthermore, you also have to agree that these carbon reduction initiatives and rebates create greener homes, which lead to cleaner air and a more stable planet.
The problem however, arises when a small minority of unscrupulous operators use inferior, imported products, shonky or unsafe practices and unskilled personnel to retrofit fit said products. The result? The federal government has, suspended the insulation, heat pump and solar hot water rebates, launched a new Household Renewable Energy Bonus Scheme in their place and instigated measures to purge the unsafe and shonky operators from the system.
Operators who have been in the trade for many years, who do the right thing by their clients, who use good quality products and who have well trained tradesmen support this action. These good operators will have no objection to conforming to the government’s new requirements including re-registering with the department, posting the required $10,000 bond and implementing the new staff training requirements. That is not to say that good quality environmental companies will not be feeling the pinch over the next few months before the insulation rebates are reintroduced on 1 June 2010, but I for one, will be more than happy to see the shonky profiteers exposed and removed.
In the interim, homeowners who wish to take advantage of the solar power rebates that are still on offer (unchanged), or those wishing to change over to a solar hot water system with a $1000 rebate, or take advantage of the amended $1000 insulation rebate (to be reinstated on 1 June 2010), should bear the following points in mind, to ensure you are dealing with a reputable dealer:
1.Ask to see the company’s credentials eg HIA, MBA, BSA, or ABSA memberships and or licenses.
2.Demand that Australian Standards approved and labelled products, from reputable suppliers such as Insilco, CSR and Autex are used. Cheap imported products do not comply.
3.Deal with companies that have been in business for a while, preferably with a showroom where you can see the products displayed as well as the standard of the operation.
4.Be wary of door to door and telemarketing sales persons, although there are plenty of honest traders who use this method of selling, use care and take reasonable steps to protect yourself:
Always ask to see identification. If the trader claims to be representing a company, verify the details they provide.
Ask for full contact details of the trader, including phone number and address. Verify the details they provide.
5.Ask for all quotes to be provided in writing and take time to shop around. You may not be getting the best deal.
6.Don’t be pressured into buy on the spot, tell them you will be getting a second quote and don’t pay in full until the job is done.
7.Check up on the company through government and industry web sites, such as ASIC, ABSA, ABN Lookup and even the white pages.
8.Remember that reputable companies that have nothing to hide will happily offer up the above information.
Top Tips
Finally, my top three tips for making the most of the current situation:
Tip 1: Since there will likely be a flood of households wishing to claim the $1000 insulation rebate and have insulation fitted after 1 June 2010, it would be smart to get your quotes from reputable insulation companies now and book ahead to avoid possible long installation lead times.
Tip 2: This is a great time to take advantage of the solar power rebates on offer, worth several thousand dollars.
Tip 3: Install a solar hot water unit and benefit from a $1000 rebate plus several hundred dollars in REC rebates.
For more information about these incentives and rebates:
Green directory of eco-friendly Australian businesses. This green directory is providing you all details about environmental companies around Australia. Find the green business around your place.
Insulation Scheme Revived – Shonky Operators Out
Unless you’ve been locked away in a ceiling somewhere you have to be aware of the current commotion surrounding the government’s ceiling insulation scheme fiasco. Until recently, few people would have known what the benefits of ceiling insulation were, but nowadays the press is saturated with stories about it and about changes to the insulation stimulus package, solar hot water and solar power rebates and unfortunately, also about a few shonky installers.
