Source · Select Committees · Public Accounts Committee
Recommendation 38
38
Deferred
Lack of independence between retrofit assessors and installers is a key design flaw.
Conclusion
We pressed the Department on a key outstanding design flaw: retrofit assessors (who provide information about a home’s energy performance) and retrofit coordinators (who manage the project and should check the retrofit is completed to the correct standards) can be appointed and contracted by the installer they are assessing.93 The National Audit Office reported that retrofit coordinators may therefore be incentivised to approve non-compliant installations to maintain business with installers.94 We also received evidence from a range of organisations highlighting this as a key weakness that must be addressed.95 The Department agreed that there is not enough independence between these roles under the relevant standard (PAS 2035).96
Government Response Summary
The government refers to its response to recommendation 2, highlighting the 'find-and-fix' programme and the letter to the Committee dated 6 February 2026 addressing recommendation 3, stating that their approach of holding the system to account will continue after the ECO4 scheme has ended.
Government Response
Deferred
HM Government
Deferred
7. PAC conclusion: The serious failings to protect consumers on these schemes risk undermining confidence in all the Department’s retrofit schemes. 7a. PAC recommendation: The Department should give high priority to ensuring - and indeed should guarantee that within a reasonable period as defined by the Department and communicated to the Committee in the Treasury Minute response - all defective homes are remediated even after the current scheme has ended. 7.1 The government agrees with the Committee’s recommendation. Recommendation implemented 7.2 The government's approach to dealing with the non-compliance issues highlighted in the NAO and Committee’s reports is set out in response to recommendation 2 above; and high priority is being given to the find-and-fix programme. The department’s overall response of holding the system to account, set out in the letter to the Committee dated 6 February 2026 responding to recommendation 3, will continue after the ECO4 scheme has ended.