British Gas - Free loft and cavity wall insulation - catch?

Trebor3

pledgeX wrote: »

Hi folks.

I saw a chap on BBC news this morning who was from British Gas and among other things, happened to mention that BG were offering free loft and cavity wall insulation. I checked their website and found the offer he was talking about here:


I'm not interested in loft insulation as I did this myself a few months ago, but I am interested in cavity wall insulation.

Has anyone used BG to get cavity wall insulation done? And opinions on their service?

The sceptic in me is telling me this is too good to be true. After all, having a well insulated home will reduce their profit! I was wondering if there is a catch/loophole in their offer, or perhaps their service is a bit naff and don't really do a good job? It's not like I can stick my head in the wall and see if they've done a good job like in the loft!!

Thanks.

Hi Pledgex....

I too have an insulated roof space and rang BG about the free cavity wall offer that Martin had advised us all about and I was refused the offer because I live in an end of four town house which only requires the gable wall insulating due to the buildings original construction having front and rear walls already insulated .

It appears you can only be part of the scheme if you need a minimum of three walls ,or seventy five percent of your property insulated .

I think its more of the usual, it looks good and sounds good in the press and on tv. They are not in the habit of giving anything away I am afraid you will need to remain a sceptic I know I am !

Regards
Trebor3

Monkeymagic

We had ours done in June. That was free from british gas though was actually the Mark group who did the work as BG were swamped in our area apparently. As I recall the only catch was you had to stay a BG customer for a certain time, 3 or 6 months though, not years and years. I am really pleased with ours, was very quick, and couldnt even tell where they made the holes unless you searched. Defintely ranks as one of my best MSE bargains!

traveller2

I had BG man come round to do a survey ealier this week for free CWI.
We have weather boards on the front of the house, so the said it wasn't suitable and would not do it, despite lots of people having got it installed by other firms in our street.

His recommendation was to spend £3,000 on a new boiler to save money and energy- yeah right!

jcb208

Hoping to get CWI but top half of house is tile hung so I expect they will not do it even though the upstairs of the house could be drilled from inside and I make good decor.Any one had similar experience

Sunnydazey

I had my house "surveyed" by BG for loft and cavity insulation in early September. The loft was done but had such a nightmare trying to get the "free" cavity insulation that I have chosen to pay the £149 rather than let this bunch near my walls with a drill. Today's reason from BG complaint's department was that "changes in late September to the BBA regulations mean we can only do whole houses, not part of a house". (I had agree'd to them brushing a small area off and not insulating it as it was difficult to access.) Many other BG excuses are equally far fetched and ridiculous. I believe that the offer of free insulation is made with the intention, from the highest level, to create excuses, in as many cases as possible, for not carrying out the work .

Boutros

Agree with Sunnydazey about ridiculous excuses.

A surveyor came to see me regarding loft insulation. There is pedestrian only access to my house so you have to park at end of the terrace which is 5 houses long. Apparently this is too far for them to carry the insulation material so they can't do it.