AMDEA is asking the government to ensure that households can realise savings that efficient home appliances can offer and to help the nation to achieve Net Zero targets. But is that sensible?
AMDEA’s Chief Executive, Paul Hide, highlighted what other European nations have been doing in regard to sustainability by putting in place lowered VAT on repairs, and encouraging those homes needing to replace with cash grants towards best-in-class, high-efficiency models.
Now, we’re all for the first one, reducing VAT or even removing it would be a massive injection of life into the repair industry for pretty much all industries that are like us, trying to make products last longer, which is eco-friendly.
Apparently, it’s reported that AMDEA is launching a new ‘Repairs and Spares’ portal as an addition to its Know Watt’s What energy-saving campaign. Both of which we’re unfamiliar with, haven’t been told about, so we fully expect that this is for manufacturers only. That kinda makes sense given that it is the Association of Manufacturers of Domestic Appliances that are organising and paying for this.
But, it freezes out independents if we’re correct in denying competition from local independent repairers that will invariably be cheaper.
It is reported that this portal offers householders instant access to genuine spare parts, expert repairs and advice from 68 of the UK’s leading appliance brands.
Advice is also being offered to try to lengthen appliance lifespans, which is not a bad thing.
We’re all for reducing waste, we sell spare parts and champion repairs, so we’re kinda invested in that.
But offering people cash to replace old appliances with new ones when the savings are really not all that huge monetarily or in energy is, in our view, crazy. Well, from the point of view of government using public money, I.e. our taxpayer money at least when people will buy the cheapest, most efficient appliance they can anyway.
Supporting people not to scrap them in the first place is a way better plan in our view.
And, discouraging or even making illegal, insane things that some makers do like sealed tubs, dishwasher wheels you can only get with a new basket, thermostats you can only get with an expensive new heater and more.. that’s a better use of government resources that will save people money and make appliances list longer.
Some of the stuff AMDEA is suggesting is great, it’s good, positive stuff. It’s just a pity that some of the things that could make a real difference to many consumers is seemingly ignored.
Good idea so that will not happen! UK Gov`t is short of money and so the public really needs to be milked just that bit more. Tax give aways are really a thing
called stealth taxation: they take away tax with one hand, so that looks good and popular, then spread that and tax more at the same time over other more hidden lesser known or obvious taxable interests and hope no one notices!……and the public just come back for more of it = there is little hope all round.