Anyone used the Mark Group?

System

The only things ive heard bad about this company is that they are in the habit of letting people down. Appointments missed etc.

This better not happen to me or i'll be setting hubby on them.

They also wanted me to to sign a consent form to say they may need to drill from inside. This i refused to do as the insulation is supposed to be injected from outside and i'm not having them make holes in my newly plastered/decorated walls.

I dont need roof insulation as the insulation thats down is more than adequate.

18th is the date they have given me.

eggypeg

I've used the Mark Group for cavity wall insulation. There's no catch, the government has to have a certain percentage of houses in different areas energy efficient. Both my husband and I work and we got everything for free, this particular scheme has nothing to do with benefits (although I do know of other schemes that do) The guys that came were friendly, courteous and clean. They inspected the loft which was already up to standard and left a certificate for that and the certificate arrived in the post for the CWI a week after they installed it.

I can't understand why you wouldn't have this work done.

gogreena

The company I work for does the same thing. It is free because the government have committed to a target of reducing our carbon emissions by 80% by 2050, and they have created various schemes to get homes insulated for free - the current one is called ECO (energy company obligation) funding. There's also the Green Deal for costlier work, like new boilers or double glazing.

I would get it done (although I would say that wouldn't I), it is completely free after all. There's plenty of info on our website: gogreena(dot)co(dot)uk. If you click on the "News & Articles" link there's plenty of info about how the insulation is done and how it is funded. (Again, as a disclaimer, i work for this company)

stargrazer10

Hi
The Mark group are completely incompetent. In the block of flats where I live they surveyed our property in August 2012 for FREE cavity wall insulation. They did not submit the forms. This came to light in Oct 2012.
A new surveyor from the Mark group and myself coordinated the completion of new survey reports and these were submitted early Dec. They were ignored/?lost - we have now lost the free cavity wall insulation!!

The Mark group have admitted their incompetence, but as the government has withdrawn the free funding the Mark group refuse to honour the original contract. We are in the process of taking them to the small claims court for loss of savings on our energy bills and for the cost of now having to pay for something that we would have got for free. there are loads of more reputable companies out there - I have found many since our disastrous encounter with the Mark group. Regards L H

Tightass

Appointment for this morning.
Cleared the loft yesterday, that took 4 hours to do by myself.
Guy turns up this morning to look at doing the cavity, says they can't do it and none of the others on the street have been done as they are to old!
Never mind I thought, at least the loft will get done.
They just called to cancel, they can't do the walls so won't we cants have any of it.
Booked a day off work, to say I'm angry doesn't come close
Warning to all, don't bother with this company.

lozsta

Please read edit below (I have left the original rant for clarity):

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Don't go near them. Called round insisted they didn't drill my walls but inspect via the loft. Showed me images that clearly show no insulation (could have been anyone's cavity).

Then I get a letter to say the government are insisting on surveying again so they can confirm that this is Hard To install or something similar.

The missus takes a day off work, luckily to wait for her parents to arrive for a visit, and also see this chap. Well apparently they had turned up and inspected the day before they had arranged to come over. No new drill holes or anything. So I call and arrange another surveyor to come out and check the walls.

He doesn't turn up for a morning appointment until half 2 the Saturday afternoon. And is about to drive off when I go out and ask him why he is leaving. "you've got drill pattern on your wall" that was their inspection. The damp course has recently been redone, and there is very little in the way of cavity insulation, I know this for a fact. So I make him get out his camera and put it in the wall. There is badly blown rockwool in there (this costs money to remove so they don't want to do it now).

So I have had my loft and cavity insulation installation cancelled, I've put off boarding the loft until they had been for the last 3 months assuming they would be doing this but it is cancelled because the cavity isn't being done.

This combined with about 20 calls to arrange my installation even though it was arranged months before has really put me off this company.

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So after I had the existing crap that was in the cavity removed, I contacted the mark group and they honoured the original agreement and have been round and fitted the loft and cavity wall insulation. The only issue I had was the bricks they removed were actual air bricks, and very well matched in to the old wall, but the plastic airbricks they use for the insulation to stop it falling out do not suit the property and the mortar used is really dark grey and not at all matched in.

lozsta

Further to this as they are using government funds who can I complain to about them?

SpinningNickel

Hmm, just had them round to look in my loft and offer me free insulation. I was not keen to let them in at first as I'm incredibly dubious of any 'free lunch' and figured they were either going to try and hard-sell me 'extras' or case my house for later burglary or something. But they seemed nice enough lads, showed their ID and introduced themselves, weren't overly pushy, answered all my questions politely, etc.

Being suspicious of their offer, I questioned them pretty hard, in a good-natured sort of way. I'm told that the current offer is that people in areas the council has designated as low-income can get the insulation for free, as long as they have less than x-amount of insulation already in place. People in higher-income areas have to be on benefits to qualify. They even had a little colour-coded map illustrating my post code area to that effect. Apparently the government is making energy companies pay for this (perhaps one reason why they have to ask who your energy provider is), and it's largely thanks to EU-led badgering about carbon-emissions, fuel poverty, etc.

Anyway, all the paperwork clearly said £0.00 fee, so I thought, I'll sign and Google later. If it turns out to be rubbish I just won't let them in when they call back round.

I've got a date about 6 weeks from now, when my partner will be home to supervise the installation. I've been pre-warned that the loft should be clear and the whole business will absolutely make a mess, but that the installers will hoover up after themselves. I've also been told I will get a free EPC once they've done the job, which always comes in useful for boiler grants as I'm in dire need of a new one of those as well!

Fingers crossed it goes well. I kind of figure, I'm not booking a day off work to attend, so as long as they don't trash my house I've not lost anything if they don't turn up/are a bit surly/etc. Don't look a gift horse in the mouth and whatnot.

they_aint_no_use

Had 3 surveys done by Mark Group for cavity wall insulation, they failed to appear for arranged appointment stating they forgot to book engineers for the visit, after hours on the phone and numerous e mails they arranged 2nd visit . Engineers turned up spent less than 5 minutes at the property said they couldnt do it despite 3 surveys by thier own company.
I now have lost 2 days work waiting in for them and still have an unfilled hole in my exterior wall courtesey of their surveyor.

And needless to say they have still to get back to me with an explanation. It appears to me they are only interested in making quick money from Goverment and European grants and have no interest in customers satisfaction.
I would advise people not to deal with them and avoid being disappointed

shakey_46

Be very careful about using the Mark Group, there are more honest companies out there. There are more ways than just being on certain benefits that you may be eligible. HTT (hard to treat) cavities which are 45mm or below, 3 storey buildings and properties in a CSCO deprived areas are also eligible.
Their surveyors should know this if indeed they have the funding for them.