A list of approved builders, who are registered as competent under a system of accreditation, will help ensure the success of Green Deal, but it won't solve the problem of consumer demand. This is the response from the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) as the Green Deal legislation was announced.

The Green Deal is the Government's retrofit scheme to make homes and businesses more energy efficient at no upfront cost. The Green Deal is part of the Government’s Energy Bill, which outlines the need for an accreditation system for both the energy efficiency advisors and the builders doing the work.

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Richard Diment, Director General of the FMB said: "The Government is completely right to recognise the fact that accreditation is vital to the success of the Green Deal. The opportunity to transform our existing homes is too big an opportunity for legitimate builders seeking new work to be to be undermined by the cowboy builders who need to be stamped out from the construction industry once and for all.

"It is important that those charged with carrying out the energy efficiency improvement work are recognised as competent in order to safeguard householders as well as reputable builders."

Mr Diment continued: "Unlike other countries there is no formal registration system for builders in this country with the result that every year over £170 million is stolen by unscrupulous builders from homeowners across the UK. The Green Deal gives us an opportunity to tackle this problem and the Government and the building trade must not be found to be wanting; the Green Deal 'quality mark' must stand up to the test."

(CD)