The deputy head of the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management informed that the ministries of: climate and environment, regional funds and policy, finance and justice, as well as the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management they work on legal solutions, whose aim is to protect the beneficiaries of the “Clean Air” program (home owners) harmed by contractors, e.g. those carrying out thermal modernization of real estate.
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Robert Gajda pointed out that these are mainly people who were exploited, for example, by dishonest contractors, and now the provincial funds for environmental protection and water management are demanding the return of the granted subsidies from them.
“We cannot leave such people alone, that is why we decided on the legislative path that we are working on now,” said Robert Gajda, deputy head of the National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management, whose words are quoted by “Portal Samorządowy”.
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As the “Local Government Portal” explains, hundreds or even thousands of people have been harmed in this case.
Thermal modernization is a Trojan horse? Homeowners receive payment notices
In the middle of the year, the Wyborcza.biz website described the situation of clients of various companies that had been involved in fraud of money intended for thermal modernization of buildings and replacement of heat sources.
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The operating model of dishonest entrepreneurs was the same: an offer of modernization works was presented to the program beneficiaries, a cost estimate and a work schedule were prepared; the application for the program was to be handled by the contractor company, which had to provide its own contribution, i.e. VAT and the difference resulting from the investment value.
As the journalists of the Wyborcza.biz website found out, after the house owners paid part of the costs of thermal modernization works (about PLN 40,000), the contact stopped. Companies submitted applications to the “Clean Air” program, received a subsidy (for example, PLN 68,000), and then disappeared into oblivion.
Loaded with thermal modernization. It was supposed to be warm, there are demands for payment and the prosecutor's office
This situation is extremely unfavorable for beneficiaries, because they are responsible for repaying the money, as they are a party to the subsidy agreement.
The mentioned new regulations are intended to suspend enforcement and transfer financial responsibility to the State Treasury. Homeowners should report to the prosecutor's office themselves.
It was even posted on the website of the “Clean Air” program in September this year guide for injured people by dishonest entrepreneurs. The National Fund for Environmental Protection and Water Management encourages you to report fraud to the police and the prosecutor's office.
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As “Portal Samorządowy” reported in October, only in one of the analyzed situations – which concerned a company from the West Pomeranian Voivodeship – over 100 people were injured.
The investigation explaining irregularities in the implementation of the “Clean Air” program is nationwide. Prosecutors determined that the total amount of damage caused was several dozen million zlotys.
