Trading Standards Warning - Cold Calls - Insulation

26th October 2023

Ayreshire residents are being warned of the dangers of cold calls from companies claiming to offer loft insulation. Several reports have been received by local Trading Standards about unacceptable sales tactics being used by some companies to encourage residents to enter into agreements.

One woman in her 70s who lives alone agreed to arrange an appointment as she had been told it was free and no-obligation. The caller had also told her that she may be eligible to receive free insulation if it needed to be replaced.

A salesperson visited her house the next day and went into the loft. When he came back down, he said he had bad news: he had found significant levels of black mould that was dangerous to her health and was damaging the structural integrity of the roof.

He told her it could cost around £20,000 to replace her roof, then said that a cheaper option was available - spray foam insulation. Apparently, this would solve all of the issues in the loft and would save money on her energy bills.

He initially quoted a price of £10,000, but brought this down to just under £5,000 when the woman said she couldn't afford that much. She agreed to pay a £2,000 deposit on the spot and agreed that work could start the next day as she was worried about the impact on her health.

The woman told her daughter about the insulation and her daughter urged her to seek a second opinion before having any work carried out. She arranged for an impartial assessment to be carried out - no evidence of black mould was found and there were no issues with the woman's existing insulation.

She cancelled the installation of spray foam insulation and is still trying to get her deposit back.

How to Avoid
If you are shown pictures of mould in your roof space, or are told about serious defects in your house, get a second opinion before starting any work.

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.

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. If you need to call a trader for emergency repair work, find someone who has been vetted through a national or local authority approved trader scheme.

Home Energy Scotland offer free and impartial advice on energy saving measures and information about funding available in your area - call them free on 0808 808 2282 or visit www.homeenergyscotland.org

Find out More
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
Article about spray foam insulation and mortgages from House of Commons: https://commonslibrary.parliament.uk/spray-foam-insulation-and-mortgages
Avoid Insulation Scams - PDF: www.tsscot.co.uk/Spray-Foam-Journey.pdf
Trading Standards Scotland website: www.tsscot.co.uk/priority-areas/energy-marketing-scams
Original article: www.irvinetimes.com/news/warning-cold-call-loft-insulation-scam-bid-ayrshire

General Advice on Avoiding Scams
Advice Direct Scotland: www.consumeradvice.scot/knowledge-centre or call 0808 164 6000
Citizens Advice Scotland: www.citizensadvice.org.uk/scotland/consumer
Police Scotland: www.scotland.police.uk/advice-and-information/scams-and-frauds
Financial Conduct Authority: www.fca.org.uk/consumers/protect-yourself-scams
Neighbourhood Watch Scotland Alerts: www.neighbourhoodwatchscotland.co.uk
Which?: www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/scams
Age Scotland: www.ageuk.org.uk/scotland/information-advice/money-matters/scams/