Crackdown on rogue traders or put net-zero transition at risk, Citizens Advice warns
Households making green upgrades at risk from rogue traders and dodgy installations because net-zero protections aren’t fit for the future
Citizens Advice calls on government to create a single accreditation scheme - like the GasSafe register - for all installers in the net-zero home market.
New research shows 87% of homeowners think stronger financial protections would make them feel more confident when installing low-carbon technologies in their homes.
Trust in net-zero technologies is at risk of being damaged by the actions of rogue traders and poor-quality installation, according to a new report from Citizens Advice - the consumer energy watchdog.
The charity says if the Government doesn't make sure protections for the net-zero transition keep up with the pace of change, it will open the door for scammers and rogue traders.
If the UK is to meet its net zero commitments nearly every home in the country will have to make changes in the coming years. However, the charity is concerned that consumer protections for vital net-zero products, like heat pumps, are not fit for the future.
Currently installers don't have to be accredited unless they are carrying out work funded by government grants, meaning rogue traders can take advantage of people paying out of their own pocket, with no guarantee that work will be carried out to a decent standard.
Citizens Advice is calling on the government to create a single accreditation scheme - like the GasSafe mark - for all installers in the net-zero market before the transition takes off.
Micah’s story:
Micah received a cold call and was persuaded to let a trader carry out a survey of his loft. After inspecting the loft, the trader claimed to have detected dangerous gases which needed to be fixed urgently.
Micah agreed to let them install some spray foam insulation a few days later. The trader had told him that this would help his wife’s breathing problems, and increase the value of his home.
Micah has since found out that the spray foam means he can no longer sell his property.
Change needed before it’s too late
By 2028, the Government is aiming for 600,000 heat pumps to be installed each year - an eleven-fold increase on the number installed in 2021. In addition 15 million homes will need to install insulation in order to meet the Government ambition of all homes being EPC C by 2035.
Citizens Advice thinks new protections would give consumers confidence to engage with new technologies and prevent future scandals which could turn net-zero into a political headache.
Currently, inadequate protections mean when installers go bust, people find it difficult to fix problems and are left with guarantees and warranties that are useless or difficult to enforce. For example, one company had close to a million pounds in consumer deposits for unpaid work at the time of filing for liquidation. And Citizens Advice says calls to its consumer service relating to a single issue, poorly installed spray foam insulation, more than doubled between 2020 and 2022.
New research from the charity shows 84% of homeowners think stronger financial protections would make them feel more confident when installing low carbon technologies in their homes.
Citizens Advice says the government should also ensure that all consumers can easily access independent advice and support, and there should be a clear process to easily resolve issues that do arise.
This is crucial, the charity says. Consumers need to be given more confidence in order to engage with net-zero technologies. Improving confidence will ensure that the UK can meet its net-zero targets.
Dame Clare Moriarty, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice, said:
“To meet our net-zero targets, people will have to place their trust in new and unfamiliar technologies. Current consumer protections have too many gaps, allowing rogue traders and scammers to prey on people’s good intentions.
“The government has to ensure people feel confident to install heat pumps, insulation or other energy efficiency measures in their home. Without reform to make protections fit for the long term, individual bad experiences could start to undermine trust in net zero and make the vital transition to a low-carbon future more challenging.”
Notes to editors:
The GasSafe register ensures all installations of gas appliances are in line with required safety standards. The purpose of the Gas Safe Register is to help protect the public from unsafe gas work. The register is an up-to-date and accurate list of competent and qualified engineers. Gas Safe registered engineers are inspected and reports of illegal gas work investigated. Gas boilers can only be fitted by engineers on the gas safe register.
Citizens Advice is made up of the national charity Citizens Advice; the network of independent local Citizens Advice charities across England and Wales; the Citizens Advice consumer service; and the Witness Service.
Our network of charities offers impartial advice online, over the phone, and in person, for free.
Citizens Advice helped 2.66 million people face to face, over the phone, by email and webchat in 2022-23. And we had 60.6 million visits to our website. For full service statistics see our monthly publication advice trends.
Citizens Advice service staff are supported by more than 16,000 trained volunteers, working at over 1,600 service outlets across England and Wales.
You can get consumer advice from the Citizens Advice consumer service on 0808 223 1133 or 0808 223 1144 for Welsh language speakers.