Mr. Pat Barry:

For us one of the important issues is that, particularly for homeowners, there is always an independent adviser involved. We would be concerned if the one-stop shops were largely contractor-led and there was no independent advice being given to the homeowners.

Before any work begins, it is critical that somebody independent comes in to evaluate the property. Ideally, we would like to see a building renovation passport developed for each home. Not everybody is able to do a full retrofit in one go. They may be able to afford a couple of measures, but those measures all have to link together. The building renovation passport is about setting out a long-term strategy for the home. It is important that the measures applied to the home are suitable. For example, in a heritage property or traditionally-built home, there may be issues with dampness or structural defects, which all have to be evaluated before any renovation can begin. Renovations may have to be delayed by six months to a year if there have been issues with rainwater goods that have been leaking. The fabric needs to dry out. A particular type of insulation may be required. If we allow contractors to lead on it, we may end up with inappropriate solutions. It really emphasises the importance of independent evaluation.