LETTER TO EDITOR
Sir,
Of all the options consumers seeking to reduce their energy bills have, making energy-saving home improvements – such as installing a new boiler – can have the largest and longest term impact.
But as hundreds of online reviews show, the big energy services companies continue to rip home-owners off, with homeowners often finding themselves paying a significant premium if they want a ‘big company service’.
We are launching HomeTree (www.hometree.co.uk), a ground-breaking residential energy service platform, to alleviate the hassle too often associated with purchasing boilers and other energy saving home improvement categories once and for all.
Boilers account for about 55% of what consumers spend in a year on energy bills, so an efficient boiler makes a big difference.
We want customers to finally take back their power over their utility bills and that’s why we strive to help consumers understand what type of system is right for their home in the most hassle free-way possible, and ensure that the price offered is great value.
For example, our technology platform and relationships with local installers means that we can offer a fixed price for our basic boiler package at 35% below an indicative quote generated online for the same install compared with a well known Scottish ‘Big Six’ supplier – a quote which typically turns out to be more expensive once a home visit has been undertaken.
HomeTree is truly a labour of love and exists to offer a much cheaper, more environmentally friendly and forward-thinking service to homeowners seeking to reduce their energy bills. Our position as a venture-backed start-up, rather than a slow-moving incumbent, enables us to be agile and pro-active in our approach to transforming the energy market.
More broadly, new technology and data is increasingly making it possible for homeowners to turn their homes into mini-power plants, and we at HomeTree are seeking to capitalise on this disruption of the energy market.
Whilst our initial mission is to fix a deeply fractured retail experience for established energy saving home improvement categories like boilers, longer term HomeTree plans on positioning itself as a new type of utility – an energy services platform which helps homeowners install and finance a range of products which drastically reduce their reliance on the grid and typical energy suppliers – enabling them to live more comfortably, cheaper and in a more sustainable way.
Simon Phelan
Chief Executive
HomeTree
London N5 1XG
See also:
Nearly 4 million customers switch energy providers this year so far
and
EXCLUSIVE: First Utility chief tells MPs how Big Six energy providers rip off British gas and electricity consumers
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