Anyone used the Mark Group?

stua2013

these are the worst company to deal with. They promise you things and then do not deliver. The stopped me in B&Q and arranged a survey. They surveyed and they planned a date. They turned up then refused to do the work. The funding apparently then got pulled. The turned up again in jan 2013 and again said it was all free. No contact for until i rang them up for the 5th time and they said the surveyor got it wrong and used the wrong form..The surveyors are also independent apparently so Markgroup can easily shift blame..The skeptic in me says they have claimed off the government they completed my house last summer when they turned up and failed to do the work

adamj121212

The Mark Group are the biggest insulation company in the UK. The guys that knock the door do not usually work directly for them but for an agency.
The deals for free or subsidised cavity wall and loft insulation have changed and continue to change.
If someone knocks at your door and tells you its free I can't see what they would possibly gain from lying about this. If it turns out not to be then you'll obviously cancel and refuse to pay so what would be the point.

I can't really see why people are complaining my 80 year old grandad has been ripped off!?! In what sense? Someone has knocked his door and made him have free stuff and save money on his bills, ha.

Ok, so it has also been said just go with your own energy supplier which is definitely worth considering however they will only contract the work out to someone like Mark group.

This is the deal currently. ECO. Energy companies obligation. You've already paid for this free stuff on your energy bills. Everybody wins, the guy that knocks at your door gets his commission, the agency he works for gets paid for supplying the job. The fitters get paid for the install, the energy company keeps their obligation and you get free insulation and save on your bills. There's no catch and it's currently free to most so stop whining and debating and just have it done before its too late and your talking to your friend down the pub who says 'yeah I got mine all done free but you have to pay now, oh and I think it's your round'.

vulcanpilot

Just come across this thread about the Mark Group.

We had cavity wall insulation via BG, subbed out to Mark Group. The surveyor was a right miserable so-and-so, and insisted that we needed a vent in the lounge, even though the gas fire was below the required KWh output AND had an oxygen depletion sensor - at an additional cost of course.

We have a split-level property, 3-storey at the front (garages under) and 2-storey at the rear. Too big for the 'free' insulation so there would be an additiopnal cost. He noted this on the form and stated platform access required (at additional cost of course).

When the 'blokes' arrived to do the work, the very first thing he said was "...we ain't going to do this job today as we don't have long enough ladders" and they promptly bogged off. Calls to the head office just got us re-directed to the local office who just wanted us to re-arrange.

The next TWO appointments (havind to have time off work) were no-show's.

In the end, a different couple of blokes turned up, same fiasco (no long ladders) and I pointed out that the contract said access platforms, to which they said "oh, we don't have any or use them". Called (again) the local office and she promised to send someone out with a pair of long ladders - but only after I'd threatened to get Bradfords out with an access platform and bill them for the rental. Blokes then bogged off to do another job, the ladder (singular) arrived with the Mark Group local office stores manager(!) and we waited for the blokes to turn back up ... and waited. Eventually they arrived at about 3:30pm and grumbled about not having enough time to complete the job. They did however start, and appeared to finish OK. The vent in the lounge was never fitted (thank god, as it just wasn't needed)

However, after a couple of days, we noticed that the render they had used to fill the holes was starting to wash/fall out, and on investigating it, most of the holes appeared to be filled only with sand (or render with hardly any cement in).

Another call, another appointment (which they did keep this time) and they had to pull all of the filling render out of the holes as it was defective and re-do them.

We then had to fight to get the cost of the extra's removed from the bill, and in the end we refused to pay quite a significant amount of the whole bill due to their wasted time - however we kept getting bills, had to keep phoning them to be promised it would be remedied, and in the end threatened them with court action if they kept chasing for the 'debt'.

Probably 18 months after the work was completed, we did get a letter stating that the matter had been closed and we didn't have anything else to pay, but still got another couple of bills from them which just went straight into the bin.

All in all, a really dreadful experience, and I'd never ever recommend them ... they lost out to al least three other properties in our road who wanted to have CWI installed .... two never did have it done after our experience.

missytake

Just had a young man from Mark Group at the door. He says they are offering free cavity wall insualtion. Told him that as I am one of lifes workers, unlike many of my neighbours, I am not entitled to a grant. He says it is totally free. Apparently the government are very into energy efficiency/reducing co2 emissions at the moment therefore are offering free CWI and loft isulation. He said 'they' can be fined thousands of pounds for non compliance, although I dont know who 'they' are. I agreed to be measured up for CWI, will decide about loft insulation later. My loft is full of old doors and I dont think that I can move them myself. Did all the paperwork with him. Then spoke to his office to arrange a date. Unfortunately non of the available dates were convenient. They are booked up to and including July. So they will get in touch around the middle of June to set up an appointment. I was told the offer was only for 90 days and did question as to whether it would still be free as it looks like it will be done after the 90 days have expired. I was assured it would still be free.... watch this space.

19lottie82

i had my loft insulated using the mark group. it was free and the surveyor / fitters were friendly and professional. no problems here.

SAHD_Jim

missytake wrote: »

Just had a young man from Mark Group at the door. He says they are offering free cavity wall insualtion. Told him that as I am one of lifes workers, unlike many of my neighbours, I am not entitled to a grant. He says it is totally free. Apparently the government are very into energy efficiency/reducing co2 emissions at the moment therefore are offering free CWI and loft isulation. He said 'they' can be fined thousands of pounds for non compliance, although I dont know who 'they' are. I agreed to be measured up for CWI, will decide about loft insulation later. My loft is full of old doors and I dont think that I can move them myself. Did all the paperwork with him. Then spoke to his office to arrange a date. Unfortunately non of the available dates were convenient. They are booked up to and including July. So they will get in touch around the middle of June to set up an appointment. I was told the offer was only for 90 days and did question as to whether it would still be free as it looks like it will be done after the 90 days have expired. I was assured it would still be free.... watch this space.

I have had a very similar experience today. Young chap, very polite and not pushy asked if we had CWI, said anyone in our area can have it for free as "emissions targets have to be met" or somesuch. He did the survey checks and signed us up, all marked as "Free" with the payment section struck out in form. Apparently we come under "Energy Company Obligations" but we are on no benefits. He called them and I spoke to their office to arrange a date. Earliest date was in early July, just after the "90 days" they quoted to me, but I was assured it would be free.

Only slight concern (other than the standard of work, obviously) is the whole 90 days thing and the fact that our date is just after that.

As you say, watch this space...!

grannyjo

The mark group did our free loft insulation last November. I was very concerned they might find add ons to charge for - but no everything done and certificates given. Perhaps try to confirm new date will be free in writing. Seem a very reputable company when I googlds it all and looked at site. We did have to empty the loft though and our boarding down the middle of the loft was innitially covered at the far end. They had to remove that part - but no problem. That was my fault as I had not explained properly.

System

Any more updates from disgruntled customers before i sign up for cavity wall insulation with this company?

I am more concerned about damp more than anything else. I dont have a damp house and i dont want one either.

System

i guess i'll be finding out for myself :eek:

evilfairie

I had a bloke turn up, couldn't understand him, eventually agreed a date after telling him I was on JSA and got Child Tax Credit. He asked what benefits I was on and also asked the gas and electric company I was with. They never turned up to fit in the insulation. A few weeks later and another guy turned up. I told him about previous. He asked for the guys name and I told him. He said he would look into it. Then he did the same. Checked the loft and measured it. They were supposed to turn up today and having been told yes they will be coming, they have not. My house is very cold and I am spending too much on gas to heat it. I am spending the days I don't have my kids here in the cold just to save the gas for when they are here. I am putting stupid amounts on because of the cold. Mark Group have let me down twice. Next time they ain't getting a chance.