The signing of this important agreement should not be under estimated as it signifies the commitment of all the stakeholders in the microgeneration industry to move the Scheme forward with the establishment of MCS as a legal entity.
The effort put in at this early stage demonstrates the desire to ensure that MCS continues to build on the good work of its predominantly volunteer stakeholders and ensure that consumers are at the heart of all the scheme stands for.
The Tripartite Agreement can be found on the MCS website should you wish to read it; the key points to note are:
- A clear path is now established for the MCS Service Company to be developed into its enduring legal entity structure;
- Four key projects to support and maintain the robustness of the scheme, while supporting consumers who take the positive steps in trusting the products and installation services MCS’s certified companies and products provide, will be progressed and implemented;
- Novation of MCS Licence Agreement across to the MCS Service Company from DECC;
- Greater clarity of the Scheme’s purposes and objectives; and
- Clear timetables with key actions to be delivered to progress this work.
The four key projects that MCS is now in a position to progress over the rest of this and the following financial years are summarised below:
- Audit and Verification by MCS: involves undertaking further auditing and inspection of sites to ensure that every part of the journey provides appropriate confidence and trust.
- Certification Body Requirements: to ensure increased consistency and a robust approach certification processes and procedures.
- Alternative Dispute Resolution: to develop and consult on an arbitration framework to help provide a simple cost effective way to resolve disputes that cannot be resolved during the certification complaints process. This should improve protection for consumers and installers alike.
- Insurance Backed Warranty and Guarantee: an insurance backed warranty and guarantee for installations registered under the Scheme. This will add further protection for consumers should their installation company go into administration or the systems not deliver as
Gideon Richards, the MCS Steering Group Chair and Interim CEO welcomed the signing of the Tripartite Agreement: “The signing of this agreement, while taking longer than anticipated, is a significant and positive milestone for the organisation and provides a strong bedrock for taking MCS on to its end goal of becoming the full scheme owner.
“As we move forward with the legal entity, MCS must work hard to maintain the confidence of its stakeholders. We believe the interim agreement moves this a long way forward and being able to deliver on the key projects will only strengthen the trust in the scheme.”