The government has taken action after checks found widespread cases of poor-quality solid wall insulation installed under inherited ECO4 and GBIS.
Thirty-nine businesses have been suspended from installing new insulation in people’s homes, after ministers were alerted to reports of poor-quality work.
Routine checks carried out by TrustMark, the independent body which oversees tradespeople working in homes, have uncovered examples of substandard solid wall insulation fitted since 2022 under the Energy Company Obligation 4 and Great British Insulation Scheme.
The government has demanded that installers fund any repair work themselves, under protections in the schemes. No household should be asked to pay any money by an installer.
Ofgem has now begun writing to all the households affected, explaining that qualified professionals have started a system of checking every installation under these schemes. The letter will be sent to the address of the property where the work has been done.
If you’re a tenant, please let your landlord know about the letter. You may need to allow access for checks and further works in line with your tenancy agreement.
In some cases, an on-site visit will then follow the letter to determine whether any insulation work carried out requires a repair. If it does, the certification body that oversees the installer, or TrustMark, will arrange to fix the problem as soon as possible.
Examples of substandard installation range from missing or incomplete paperwork, insufficient ventilation, or missing or exposed insulation, which if left unchecked could lead to damp and mould. While this is a serious issue, this is not considered a widespread threat to safety.
Installers responsible for this substandard work will be forced to fix this at no cost to households and will remain banned from installing new solid wall insulation on any government scheme if they do not fulfil their obligation to put any issues right.
If you have other concerns about your insulation
If you’ve had insulation fitted under any government scheme, and you have concerns, you can contact Northumberland County Council or your social housing provider.
