Thirty-nine businesses have been suspendedby the government
TrustMark found examples of substandard solid wall insulation
Ofgem has begun writing to infected households
Thirty-nine businesses have been suspended from installing new insulation in people’s homes after ministers were alerted to reports of poor-quality work.
The installers have since been suspended and the government has expanded checks of solid wall insulation measures installed under both schemes, and it has implemented a comprehensive plan to begin an immediate repair process.
Energy regulator Ofgem has now begun writing to all affected households, explaining that qualified professionals have started a system of checking every installation under these schemes.
Minister for energy consumers, Miatta Fahnbulleh, said that in some cases, an on-site visit will then follow 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,” Fahnbulleh said.
She explained that installers responsible for “substandard work” will be forced to fix it “at no cost to households” and will remain banned from installing new solid wall insulation on any government scheme if they don’t comply.
“The government is confident these systematic issues are particular to solid wall insulation under the ECO4 and Great British Insulation Scheme,” she continued.
“This is because there is a stronger system of checks and balances in place for other energy efficiency schemes delivered through local authorities and social housing providers.”
Written by
Tamara BirchSenior writer
Tamara is a London-based journalist and has written about environmental topics for more than four years. This includes advising small business owners on cost-effective ways, like solar panels and energy-efficient products, to help them become more sustainable.
She has used her journalist and research skills to become highly knowledgeable on sustainable initiatives, issues, and solutions to help consumers do their bit for the environment – all while reducing monthly costs.
In addition to adopting sustainable practices in her personal life, Tamara has worked in the retail B2B space to help independent retailers think about their environmental choices and how they can help improve their business. She now uses this knowledge to help consumers do the same.
Her passion for sustainability and eco-friendly solutions stems from a long obsession with nature and animals and ensuring they feel looked after. In her free time, Tamara enjoys reading fantasy novels, visiting the gym, and going on long walks in new areas.
Max joined The Eco Experts as content manager in February 2024. He has written about sustainability issues across numerous industries, including maritime, supply chain, finance, mining, and retail. He has also written extensively for consumer titles like City AM, The Morning Star, and The Daily Express.
In 2020, he covered in detail the International Maritime Organisation’s (IMO) legislation on sulphur emissions and its effects on the global container shipping market as online editor of Port Technology International.
He also explored the initiatives major container ports and terminals have launched in order to ship vital goods across the world without polluting the environment.
Since then, he has reported heavily on the impact made by environmental, social, and governance (ESG) practices on the supply chain of minerals, with a particular focus on rare earth mining in Africa.
As part of this, in 2022 Max visited mines and ports in Angola to hone in on the challenges being faced by one of the world’s biggest producers of rare earth minerals.
His most recent sustainability-related work came much closer to home, as he investigated the eco-challenges faced by independent retailers in the UK, specifically looking at how they can cut emissions and continue to thrive.
Max lives in South London and is an avid reader of books on modern history and ghost stories. He has also recently learned to play the game Mahjong and takes every opportunity to do so. He is also yet to find a sport he doesn’t enjoy watching.
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