Highland Trading Standards Service warn of 'free insulation' offers

10th October 2012

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Trading Standards officers with The Highland Council are warning all residents to be on their guard when answering 'cold-callers' at their home offering 'free home insulation'.

This warning follows reports being received by Trading Standards as a result of a current Highland Council approved Universal Home Insulation Scheme being operated by Carillion Energy Services within the Highland area.

The reports suggest that firms are promising 'free installation' under the UHIS scheme following a survey and that they are working on behalf of The Highland Council when clearly they are not.

The Highland Councils Housing and Property Services are keen to point out that scheme only applies in five Council Wards, Wick, Landward Caithness, Cromarty Firth, Tain & Easter Ross, Aird & Loch Ness and the only contractor is a company called Carillion Energy Services, the employees of which all carry identification and authorisation letters which will be produced.

Energy Advice Officer Karen Maclean said: "All households within the selected Wards have received a letter giving information on the scheme and what to do. The scheme does not currently apply to any other Wards within the Highland Council area and no company other than Carillion Energy Services can do the works under the Highland UHIS scheme. Carillion have been accepted as being competent to carry out the works. We are concerned that others whose competence has not been vetted will carry out works and potentially leave the house damaged with no recourse for the householder. The Highland Council will not be held liable for any costs resulting from non-approved scheme works being carried out."

Highland Trading Standards Team Leader, Mark McGinty, added: "Any business which calls at your door and informs you they are working under a particular scheme when they are not is committing an offence. I would advise all householders to think twice about entering into any contract at home and if in doubt to ask for a copy of the contract to be left to check before deciding to sign."

The Highland Council Trading Standards Service would like to hear from householders who are concerned about cold calls they have received or the practices of salespersons who visit them at home.

Concerned residents can contact The Highland Council's Trading Standards Service by visiting or writing to: Highland Council Trading Standards, 38 Harbour Road, Inverness IV1 1UF or by telephoning Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 08456 04 05 06. Further information on the Universal Home Insulation Scheme can be found at

www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Built-Environment/Housing/warmhomes/uhis

If you live within the five ward areas and would like an appointment to have a Carillion representative go via the link.