Absolutely right, the likes of B&Q and the Utilities who become 'Providers' will rule the roost....... no doubt B&Q have trained their own staff as GDAs. Far from the GD offering opportunities for entrepreneurship, for an independent GDA who has paid for own training, where is this opportunity? And,if we do get a householder to 'invite' us to do an assessment, we spend 2hrs with them doing EPC and occupation assesssment, going back to the office to produce, lodge and print the EPC and GD Report, revisit, produce and discuss the report then they turn round and say 'not interested' WHO IS GOING TO PAY??
 

Whilst respecting all corners of this debate, mine is as follows.  You can relate the Green Deal with the age old 'invisible hand theory'.  If every one acts in self-interest, this will generate demand for Green Deal products, measures and services.  This in turn will compel competitors to deliver the same in a more productive manner, making profit in doing so by allocating resources in a more productive manner, thereby instilling more confidence in investment. The Green Deal has been designed to be a free and competitive market aimed at a voluntary customer demand, and one which is designed to kick start the economy. Therefore, competition between Green Deal Providers for their services, including the price of an advice report, is very healthy and will determine and reduce prices, increase quality and sustain a rising demand. In any event, there is an abundance of regulation already without  everyone being told what they can charge for their well earned efforts!  Industry is already setting it's own benchmarks for Green Deal services which we await with interest . . . .
 

I have been involved with the Green Deal fora from the outset and this was the very first question I put to both DECC and Asset Skills. Neither could give me a straight answer then and nothing seems to have changed on that to this day.

It is simply not good enough for Government to say "let market forces decide"; that is frankly weak government.

DECC keep banging on about impartial advice for the consumer, but I fail to see how that can be achieved if the GDA is to be paid by a utility company or a large retailer such as B&Q. There will ultimately be product bias. Worse still if GDA's are to be remunerated by way of commission - I can see it now; Green Deal "spivs" appearing on BBC Watchdog or Cowboy Builders.

It made me chuckle to hear the Lib Dems trying to take the credit for Green Deal at their Party Conference in Brighton this week. The Tories must be laughing up their sleeves as they will now blame them when Green Deal flops; as sadly I predict it will unless it changes radically before roll out
 

It's a free market, Providers can charge what they like or offer it free, it's down to the customer to decide if they think it's worth paying a fee.
Why should Government tell people how much or how little they can charge, and who is this Wynter anyway? I've never head of him or his company?
 

Why don't you just ask a provider how much they are going to charge for assessments? The Government are hardly going to be setting prices if they are trying to create a free market.