The Domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI), pays quarterly payments for generating your own renewable energy. You have to comply with the rules and obligations of the scheme for the full seven-year term.
With more than 50,000 heating systems installed under the Domestic RHI since its launch in April 2014, this is a large amount of public funds. Our job is to make sure the money set aside for the Domestic RHI is only paid to those who are eligible. Under contract we undertake site audits on those already accredited on the scheme.
Audits can be chosen at random and are something you sign up to when you apply for the scheme.
The audit comprises a series of questions and reviews which can involve:
- Assessing the participant, in other words: checking you are who you claim to be.
- Checking your property by making sure, for example, the details provided on the Energy Performance Certificate are aligned with the property benefiting from the heating technology.
- Ensuring the renewable heating technology is correctly installed by a certified Microgeneration Certification Scheme installer to the manufacturers’ specifications.
These checks provide the assurance that your accreditation meets all of the relevant eligibility criteria and that you can receive payment for the energy you generate.
We also check existing members are complying with their ongoing obligations which are in the Regulations, and signed for in an annual declaration.
Audit is an essential part of administering the scheme, not only in protecting public money but also protecting scheme participants and offering appropriate referrals if something is wrong.