Intermediary offers to arrange your ISDE/SDE/Warmtefonds — wise?
For consumer ISDE: rarely worth it (20-30% commission of subsidy). For SME EIA + SDE++: can pay off on complex apps. Pricing politics explained.
Three segments: (1) Consumer ISDE — application is simple (online form, 30 min), intermediary takes 20-30% of your subsidy (€500-€2,000 on €4,000). RARELY worth it, except in really complex situation. (2) SME EIA + MIA — more complex but forms doable; "no cure no pay 10-15%" can pay for first-time applications. (3) SDE++ — significantly complex (engineering cost estimate, site research); external advisor (10-20% of expected subsidy) often normal. Red flags: (a) demands commission before approval; (b) promises "100% chance"; (c) no written engagement; (d) no KvK + insurance. For consumer ISDE: municipal energy coach + Milieu Centraal tools make own application feasible.