I’m just about to get double glazing throughout the house (to replace old single glazed wooden windows) and replace my ancient gas boiler with a new one.

Both of these are supposedly eligible under the Green Deal Cashback scheme.

I’ve looked on the websites and it looks as if I have to go to a big nationwide firm to get the assessment and then to a big nationwide firm to get the work done, and I’m imagining that the overall bill (after cashback) would therefore be thousands more than if i go with the 2 good local firms I’ve lined up.

Has anybody used the scheme? Is it just a cartel that’s been hijacked by the big energy companies and double glazing firms or does it work with the little guys too?

I want to get the work done in the next few weeks, and how long does the Green Deal take?

I’ve just wasted a load of time trying to get somewhere with this marvellous scheme. Everybody wants to charge me about £150 to do a survey.

Then I’ll have to find a registered installer. Nearest one to me seems to be in Lancashire (100 miles away) and there are a couple of others within 250 miles.

Oh I do love it when government tries to involve the “private sector”.