Quidos Certification Body

Quidos Certification Body Guidance for Applying Green Deal Advice Organisations (GDAOs) Page 1 of 13

Quidos Guide for Applying Green Deal Advice Service Organisations Quidos Ltd is one of the leading bodies for providing accreditation, training and now certification for Organisations providing the Green Deal Advice Service. For many years we have been proud to provide a high level of customer satisfaction and a quality service. Coupled with the Accreditation Scheme, we are a Training Centre for the examination boards ABBE and EDI, providing training for Domestic and Commercial Assessors, Air Conditioning Assessors, Public Building Assessors and also Green Deal Advisors (GDA). Particularly in regards to Green Deal Training, Quidos was selected by Asset Skills as one of the few Training Centres to provide a nationwide training for GDA to Kick Start the Green Deal. Now we are pleased to announce Quidos has been accredited by United Kingdom Accreditation Service (UKAS) as a Green Deal Certification Body. This allows us to grant certification to Organisations or Sole Traders to provide the Green Deal Advice Service. We have specifically designed a straightforward application to guide candidates through the process, from the initial application form to granting Certification. And the Help doesn t stop there. Once Certified with Quidos, we ll be of assistance as and when you need it for the next 5 years! As Quidos is not associated with any Green Deal Installer or Provider, we have an un-biased approach to the Green Deal. This impartiality is a continuation of our approach to quality, giving GDAO the best opportunity to flourish within the Green Deal Market. Along with a wealth of knowledge of the Industry and the experience of being an established Accreditation Scheme, Quidos will also be able to offer an exclusive Software solution to help Green Deal Advice Organisations (GDAOs) manage and operate the Green Deal Processes. This Software is designed to keep you on-track with all developments within your Organisation, helping to maintain a superior service for existing and potential customers. The key to good business is establishing great relationships with your customers, so this software can take care of the background administration allowing you to concentrate on building a professional and reliable reputation. This guide will outline how the Green Deal works and how you can get Involved. If you have any questions, please contact a member of the Quidos Team. Either Phone 01225 326 895 or email us at QAS@Quidos.co.uk. Page 2 of 13

1. Structure of the Green Deal The Structure of the Green Deal can be summarised by the following flowchart: Reference: DECC Document 4621 Specification for Certification Bodies Certifying the Green Deal Advice Service, Version 202/2012 15/06/2012 Firstly, the process is controlled from the top by the Green Deal Oversight Body, also know as DECC. DECC manages the standards of the Green Deal on behalf of the Government. These standards are created for the other levels in the Green Deal Process, for example, for the Certification Bodies and for GDAOs. The Green Deal is monitored and maintained by United Kingdom Accreditation Scheme (UKAS) ensuring the standards are met at all times. In particular, they accredit schemes (such as Quidos Ltd) as Certification Bodies by ensuring the body meets all the requirements of BSEN45011. Once a Certification Body is accredited, this Certification Body can certify Sole traders and Organisations to providing the Green Deal Advise Service, these shall be called Green Deal Advice Organisations (GDAO). The term Organisation can determine a group of GDA, or a single sole trader GDA. All Organisations, regardless of the number of GDA, have to go through the same application process to be a GDAO With Quidos, we intend to help and guide Organisations of all sizes through all stages of the Application process and during the Certification period, therefore please let us know if you would like this process clarified. Page 3 of 13

2. How customers access the Green Deal The Green Deal Is being introduced by the Government to provide consumers with energy efficient improvements to their homes and to businesses with no upfront cost, and payment for the energy efficient measure will be recouped through a change within ongoing energy bills. The golden rule of the Green Deal is The expected financial savings MUST be equal to/greater than the costs incurred For property owners, the process of the Green Deal can is demonstrated below: Property Assessment by GDA Green Deal Advisory Report (GDAR) Produced Green Deal Finance (at no up-front cost) Installation of Green Deal measures, by Accredited Installer On-going Repayments Assessment.. To begin the process, the GDA must complete a thorough, impartial and robust assessment to determine the cost effective measures that can be applied to begin the process. The report is based on two parts: 1. Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) This is based on how much energy the property currently uses, and outlines the recommendations which can be installed to reduce energy consumption. This will indicate which measures can be financed by the Green Deal Process 2. Occupancy Assessment A definition of how the property is used in terms of number of people, the amount of time spent in the property and lifestyle habits which can potentially affect energy use. The final report produced is called the Green Deal Advisory Report (GDAR). Financing Using the GDAR, the suitable Green Deal measures are recognised. Property owners can apply to get Green Deal Financing to be able to install the suggested energy saving measures. Property owners can opt to pay for work upfront in whole or in part. However with the Green Deal Financing, property owners have the opportunity to re-pay through energy bills, spreading the cost over years. Installation Once the Financing is organised, the energy saving products can be installed. These MUST be installed by an Accredited Green Deal Installer. By having Accredited Installers, customers can be reassured the persons undertaking the work are correctly trained and competent individuals. Repayments..Once installed, the energy saving measures is then paid for over time through repayments. These will be in the form of a charge included on customer s energy bills. The theory is, as energy prices rise, so will the energy bills. If an energy saving product is installed, energy usage is reduced for the property, reducing the bills. Therefore the savings made by that product will be greater then the repayment amount. The introduction of the Green Deal has the potential to generate a new innovative industry based on improving Energy efficiency of properties, on a larger scale than previously seen. If you want to become a GDA or GDAO, or both, you will need to consider carefully how you will undertake business, where that business will come from and your place within the Green Deal Market. Page 4 of 13

3. Green Deal Advice Organisations (GDAO) and Green Deal Advisors (GDA) The flowchart below shows the certification process for GDAOs and how GDA are part of the process. Once qualified, Green Deal Advisors cannot directly produce Green Deal Advisory Reports (GDAR). Each GDA needs to be contracted by a certified GDAO, or become a Sole-Trader GDAO before they can start generating GDAR. Green Deal Advice Organisation Potential GDAO Green Deal Advisors Candidates Train to become GDAs e.g. at Quidos Training Centre Apply for Certification to be a Green Deal Advice Organisation with Certification Body e.g. Quidos Candidates become Green Deal Advisors (GDA) Undertake Certification Assessment Certification Granted to be a GDAO Production of the Green Deal Advisory Report (GDAR) by contracted GDAs Trained GDA need to be contracted by Certified GDAO, or can apply to become a Sole-Trader GDAO Please Note: GDA cannot produce a GDAR without the association with a Green Deal Advice Organisation. At first glance, being a GDAO may appear to be geared towards larger organisations; however it is also possible for Sole traders to gain the certified GDAO status. Whether you are a large organisation or a sole trader, the application process is the same to ensure the same requirements are met. If you currently operate as a sole trader, you will already have some processes in place however these may not be documented. The objective of the certification process is to recognise what is required and having procedures and records to support those requirements. Page 5 of 13

4. Applying with Quidos to be a Green Deal Advice Service Organisation The application process is designed with the Organisations (big and small) in mind, straightforward and understandable. The process is as follows: 1. Complete Application 2. Submit Quality Management System Organisation will need to supply a Quality Management System, demonstrating the Competence to provide the Green Deal Advice Service 3. Initial Certification Audit Initial Audit undertaken to assess and evaluate the Quality Management System 4. Non-Compliances Quidos will identify any Non-compliance within the QMS And provide guidance on how these are resolved. 5. Certification granted At each stage, Quidos will be contactable by phone, email and Online Chat to assist and guide candidates. 1. Completing the Application Form The application form will need to be completed by an authoritative figure within the applying Organisation, e.g. Director, signing a Declaration to abide by the rules of Quidos Certification Body. 2. Submit a Quality Management System We require all applying GDAO to provide procedures and documents to support your application, showing a Quality Management System is in place. This needs to be based on the Specification for Organisations providing the Green Deal Advice Service, Version 002/2012 15/06/2012 We recommend all applicants are fully aware of all aspects of this specification. During the Initial Audit, the Organisation will be assessed by comparing the Quality Management System to this specification, to make sure all parts of the Specification are addressed. This Specification is the Key document, to be used whilst providing the Green Deal Advisory Service. Page 6 of 13

We have created an example Quality Management System for your reference, which is provided once you have completing the Application Form. You will need to create similar documentation to show the GDAO operations once certified. We have outlined an example document list for the Quality Management System in Appendix 1. As you apply with Quidos, we ll provide help and assistance throughout your application process, explaining how to fully construct your Quality Management System. 3. Initial Certification Audit. The Quality Management System will be assessed during the Certification Audit. During this, Quidos Staff will visit your offices to check all procedures are compliant with the Specification for Organisations providing the Green Deal Advice Service, Version 002/2012 15/06/2012. This includes checking how operations will be undertaken, the recording and storing of information and how customers are dealt with. When evaluating each procedure, the following elements will be considered: Where do you record the information? Are the procedures compliant with the relevant standards? Brief summery of how this works Who is responsible for reviewing, maintaining procedure? Under what circumstances will you review/change the procedure? Where do you collect/obtain the information from? Is the procedure impartial? Is the procedure compliant? We realise that some procedures will not come into practice until the Organisation is certified (e.g. Complaints Procedure). In this case, we are checking the Organisation has thought how to address those circumstances; ensuring written procedures are in place and are in accordance with specifications. 4. Non-compliances. During the Certification Audit, if we feel that elements of the Quality Management System need refining, we ll give guidance on what amendments are needed to complete the process. The amended documents will need to be resubmitted, and if everything is correct, Certification will be formally granted 5. Granting Certification! Once the Organisation has been certified to become a Green Deal Advice Service, Quidos will send out a certificate and instructions on how to access and use the software to generate GDARs. Page 7 of 13

6. Prices For an Organisation to undertake the Certification Process with Quidos, we want the payment structure to be as straightforward as possible. Therefore we have a transparent pricing system. Certification Fee: 595* Certification Includes: Certification Audit Granting Certification Ongoing Help and Support Access to Green Deal Occupancy Assessment Software (Mobile & Desktop) Access to EPC Creation and Lodgement Software (Mobile & Desktop) Green Deal Management Software Many others who offer the Green Deal Certification process have a charge for completing the application form, and then another charge for checking your procedures, and then a further payment for undertaking the initial certification audit, and perhaps even more fees if you have more Green Deal Advisors. The changes may not seem like much to begin with, but they soon add up! Therefore, by charging you a standard fee to become certified, you don t need to get bogged down with extra costs at every stage. What s included with the expenses? The expenses are the costs for us to undertake the Initial Certification audit, and will include items such as travelling fees. Additional Fees Once certified, the additional items that will need to be paid for are: Occupancy Assessment = 3 Annual witnessed assessment = 150 per audited GDA All Prices on this page exclude any relevant Landmark lodgement fees and VAT. *does not include reasonable travelling expenses to site Page 8 of 13

7. Being Certification with Quidos Once a GDAO has been certified, Quidos will be responsible for ensuring that standards are maintained. Therefore GDAOs will be subject to the following during their Certification period. 1. Surveillance Once you are certified, the GDAO and associated GDA will be subject to surveillance measures in three different methods, Annual Audit, On-going Surveillance (Desk-Based Audits and Witnessed Assessments) and finally Re- Certification every 5 years. A. Annual Certification Audit C. Re-Certification B. On-going Surveillance A. Annual Audit This is an annual review of the GDAO. The Quality Management System will be investigated to ensure the procedures are being followed, information is correctly recorded and actions are taken when necessary. In particular the following will be reviewed: Internal Audit Records Complaints records Internal Auditing Records on GDAs: Training Records CPD Records Appraisal Records Page 9 of 13

B. On-Going Surveillance This will be in the form of: Desk Based Audits of 2% of lodged Green Deal Advisory Reports: Quidos will request information associated with the report and supporting documentation to be supplied in an electronic form. This will include site notes, photographs and floor plans. Witnessed Assessments the amount will depend on the number of GDAs contracted: Number of GDAs in Organisations Witnessed assessments 1 1 2 2 5 3 10 4 20 5 30 6 50 8 100 10 150 13 200 14 250 15 The witnessed assessments will take place within the first 6 months of being certified. This will consist of a Quidos Assessor being present during a property inspection, monitoring how the GDA inspects the property, ensuring the correct assessment is made and to make sure the GDA interacts with the Customer. C. Re-Certification Every 5 Years The Certification period last 5 years, after this the GDAO will undertake a similar process to the initial Application process. Page 10 of 13

2. Contracting new GDAs When GDAO is contracting or Sub-contracting new GDA, the GDAO must undertake checks on those assessors to verify they are recognised by the Register of EPCs (England & Wales) as active members of an EPBD Accreditation Scheme, or recognised by the Scottish Government as a registered assessor, along with many other checks that need to be undertaken (Please see Specification for Organisations providing the Green Deal Advice Service, Version 002/2012 15/06/2012). Once fully appointed, the Organisation will need to inform Quidos of the New GDA within 7 days. Also if an assessor is removed from the4 GDAO, Quidos will need to be informed as soon as possible, no later then 7 days after. 3. Other Changes of Details If there are any changes to the GDAO details and/or associated GDA, It is the responsibility of the GDAO to inform Quidos as soon as possible in writing within 7 days. The following changes are included: Name Address Contact details Employer Trading Status Company Ownership New PI or PL insurance Financial status Any other information which may affect the Certification 4. Complaints We all dread the idea of receiving complaints, but if it the situation arises then its best to be prepared. As part of your application for certification, you will need to have a complaints process in place, detailing how you will respond, record and resolve complaints. For all complaints received, the details must be supplied to Quidos. All GDAO must do this within 5 working days of receiving the complaint. We require these details because if the complaint escalates, the complainant may wish to involve Quidos. Therefore its best to have your full cooperation from the start to resolve the issue in a fair and effective manner, Page 11 of 13

5. Use of the Certificate and Certification Mark Once a GDAO is certified with Quidos, guidance will be provided on how to use Logos and Marks to show the full Certified Status. It is important these marks are used in accordance with the limitations instructed by Quidos and UKAS. The limitations instructed by UKAS can be found at http://www.ukas.com/publications. 6. Insurance All Organisations need to have insurance in place to be certified. Fortunately with your Certification with Quidos the appropriate levels of insurance will be included with your Certification. However if you prefer, you can provide your own Insurance. If you prefer this, the minimum levels of insurance are: Domestic: Professional Indemnity - 100,000 Public Liability - 1,000,000,000 Non-Domestic Professional Indemnity - 250,000 Public Liability - 1,000,000,000 If you have your own insurance, we will ask you to provide all supporting documentation to verify the insurance is in place. 7. Offering Advice outside of the Green Deal When dealing with customers, if they request other services that fall outside of the Green Deal Service (please refer to Specification for Organisations providing the Green Deal Advice Service) the GDAO or GDA must make it clear that those other services are not part of the Green Deal assessment they are certified for. The Organisation will need consent from the customer in writing at least 24 hours prior to the assessment for any other services that will be undertaken during the assessment. 8. Support There is a lot of information to get your head round when considering the Green Deal, so please contact us if you have any questions on anything within this guide or any other information. Either by: Phone 01225 326 895 Email Qas@Quidos.co.uk Online Support Support.Quidos.co.uk Page 12 of 13

APPENDIX 1- Example Document List for Quality Management System Document Control List 2. Quality Policy Quality Policy Statement 3. Organisational Structure & Job Descriptions 3.1. Organisation Structure Chart 3.2. Job Descriptions - GDA 4. Management of Green Deal Service Management of the Green Deal Service 5. Operational Procedures Operational Procedures 6. Record Sheets 6.1. Enquiry Form 6.2. Customer Checklist 6.3. Customer welcome letter and Overview 6.4. Customer Information pack 6.5. Pre-visit Questionnaire 6.6. Prices 6.7. Terms and conditions 6.8. Green Deal Assessment Checklist 6.9. Internal Audit Schedule 6.10. Internal Audit Report 6.11. Non-Compliance Record 6.12. Non-Compliance Report 6.13. Management Meeting Agenda 6.14. Management Meeting Record 6.15. Domestic GDA Eligibility assessment 6.16. Register of GDAs 6.17. Subcontractor Agreement 6.18. Work Assignment record 6.19. Appraisal Form 6.20. Customer interaction record 6.21. Complaint Procedures 6.22. Complaints Record 6.23. Disciplinary & Appeal Procedure 6.24. Green Deal Assessment Audit 6.25. Tennant Agreement 6.26. Risk Assessment 6.27. GDA Customer Briefing Notes 6.28. Occupancy Assessment form 6.29. Job Checklist Page 13 of 13