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Over the last few weeks, several consumers who had previously had spray foam insulation installed in their property have been cold called by a company and told they are due to have an inspection carried out as part of their warranty.

After carrying out an inspection, the consumers are told that moisture levels in their loft are dangerously high and that they were mis-sold the spray foam insulation.

The 'surveyor' claims that their company is the only business approved to carry out the removal of this type of insulation, and that they can replace the spray foam with a different type of insulation free of charge thanks to a government scheme.

Consumers who agree to have their insulation replaced are then told that, although the installation itself will be free, they will have to pay to have new roof vents installed. This can cost up to £1,500.

However, once the company has installed the vents, they do not return to remove the spray foam insulation or install new insulation. They do not respond to phone calls or any other attempts to contact them.

In some cases, cold callers have said they are working with trading standards or environmental health services to inspect and remove spray foam insulation.
Trading Standards / Environmental Health services are not currently working with any spray foam removal companies in Scotland. Any communication suggesting otherwise is likely to be a scam.

How to Avoid
If you feel you have been misled into having spray foam insulation installed, avoid responding to letters or cold callers offering to remove the insulation.

If you are concerned about your existing insulation or any other energy saving measures in your home, seek impartial advice from trusted companies rather than cold callers or online adverts. Have an impartial assessment carried out to determine which energy saving measures will actually benefit your home.

Contact Home Energy Scotland via www.homeenergyscotland.org or by calling 0808 808 2282 to have an impartial assessment carried out on your property. Home Energy Scotland are funded by the Scottish Government to provide free and impartial advice on energy efficiency measures.

Always take time to think before making a decision - don't agree to make any payments for goods or services on the spot.
Do plenty of research - get at least 3 quotes and check 3 review sites. 
Find certified installers of renewables systems in Scotland via the Renewables Installer Finder: installerfinder.energysavingtrust.org.uk
Find members of the Renewable Energy Consumer Code, who have agreed to abide by the Consumer Code. This covers all the factors that contribute to a high standard of consumer service, before, during and after a contract is agreed: www.recc.org.uk/scheme/members
The Microgeneration Certification Scheme certifies, quality assures and provides consumer protection for microgeneration installations and installers. These consist of small scale renewable electricity technologies such as solar PV, biomass, wind, heat pumps and heat products: https://mcscertified.com 
The Home Insulation and Energy Sytems Contractors Scheme (HIES) is a consumer protection code covering the installation of renewable energy products. Any products installed by HIES Members must be according to Code standards: www.hiesscheme.org.uk

Find out More
Avoid Insulation Scams - PDF: www.tsscot.co.uk/Spray-Foam-Journey.pdf
Home Energy Scotland: www.homeenergyscotland.org
Advice from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) on the use of spray foam: www.rics.org/news-insights/rics-release-new-spray-foam-consumer-guide
Trading Standards Scotland website: www.tsscot.co.uk/priority-areas/energy-marketing-scams

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