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IN THE UPPER TRIBUNAL UT ref: UA-2023-001136-GEPN
ADMINISTRATIVE APPEALS CHAMBER [2024] UKUT 345 (AAC)
On appeal from First-tier Tribunal (General Regulatory Chamber)
Between:
GDFC Assets Limited
Appellant
- v –
Carol Heaney
First Respondent
Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero
Second Respondent
Before: Upper Tribunal Judge Wright
Decision date: 6 November 2024
Decided after an oral hearing in Edinburgh on 30 and 31 July 2024
Appellant: Kate Urell and Sabrina Goodchild of counsel.
First Respondent: Jonathan Barne KC and Jonathan Deans, advocates (acting pro bono).
Second respondent: Charles Streeten and Brendan Brett of counsel.
DECISION
- Heading
- The decision of the Upper Tribunal is to allow GDFC Assets Limited’s appeal
- The statutory scheme
- A notice under these Regulations— must be in writing; and
- The improvement-specific instalments must not exceed the improvement-specific first year savings The improvement-specific payment period must not exceed the improvement-specific savings period
- Improvement-specific instalments – exceptions to fixed amount
- Guarantees to be given by green deal providers
- The guarantee must include the requirements set out in Schedule 3 (guarantees) Condition as to other matters – confirmation from bill payer and owners
- the relevant first bill payer; or subject to paragraph, the relevant subsequent bill payer; and
- A must pay instalments under the plan for such time as A is the bill payer, and the other terms of the plan which bind a bill payer will bind A
- Sanctions for breaches of the relevant requirements by green deal providers
- withdrawal
- the following may be imposed—
- that the Secretary of State intends to impose the sanction
- details of the early payment discounts
- the reason for imposing the sanction; and information on appeals which may be made under regulation 87
- Appeal to First Tier Tribunal
- The Tribunal may suspend a decision pending determination of the appeal The Tribunal may—
- Relevant factual background
- The decisions of the First-tier Tribunal
- Preliminary decision
- Substantive decision
- I will return, as necessary, to where aspects of this summary were unpacked by the FTT The FTT’s grant of permission to appeal
- The grounds of appeal
- Discussion and conclusion
- Grounds 2-4 – legal effect of non-compliance with regulation 30(3)(c) and whether written or oral notification is required by that regulation
- Nor does regulation 30(3)(c) containing a condition sit oddly with, or indeed lie outwith ( ultra vires ), the enabling powers of the parent Act under which it was made. Section 1(3) (b) of the Energy
- Grounds 5 and 6 – proportionality and approach to sanction
- Ground 7 – proportionality and sanction if not a green deal plan
- Conclusions