Eco Residential - Offering free cavity wall insulation?

jasp1972

Hi all , ive had a bit of a battle with ecoresidential . Last year in July I signed up for cavity wall insulation also free boiler replacement . Apparently the dea they use ( mark ) who ive been informed today doesn't work for them anymore as he was useless and they had complaints , treid to contact me ten times regarding the boiler replacement . No one contacted myself at all . Also they tried to contact me regarding the cavity wall insulation no me contacted me on that either . Anyway I rung eco residential myself on numerous occasions last year where I was told the cavity wall insulation was rejected becouse he teied to contact me , absolutely rubbish no one has contacted me , only contact made was by myself to eco residential . Eventually the cavity wall insulation got sorted 5 months down the line , when I contacted them last year I was told by I think james of eco residential that there is a back log on the boilers but it will be done . Brilliant I thought . Yesterday I rung eco residential myself yet again asked when is my boiler going to be replaced , to be informed that mark has teied to contact me ten times regarding this couldn't get hold of me so it got rejected in july 2013 news to me this yet again . Eco residential hasn't contacted me regarding this also nothing was said when I rung last year . Now ive been told that the scheme run out in November . I am shocked by this as I could've had swalec install all this for me . I have lost out becouse of the incompitance of eco residential . I jad a call off the customer service team today underlying whats happend . No fault of mine only eco residential fault also she said that the guy they use mark eas unless so they don't use him . ECO residential where was my call , letter , email to say it was rejected ? Why wasn't this said to me when I had rung on numerous occasions last year . ECO residential has not fulfilled their obligation to me and now as a customer I have lost out on having funding for a boiler . Jason frayne MD of eco residential what are you going to do about thia as im sure a lot of parties would be interested in knowing the incompitance of eco residential one very unhappy customer

jasoneco

@stillmiserly



Quite a bit to digest there! In short -

1) So what psychic powers have the reps got?
Quite often, houses built on the same street or area will be of a similar construction. When selecting areas to canvass, we obviously choose areas with ahigh frequency of HTT properties. This is deciphered both through historical data, ie if houses could not be done previously because of an underlying issue, and through scouting of areas in advance.

2)What is the need to bore holes for the full survey?

This is an OFGEM requirement to ensure that the property does qualify. It is necessary to evidence any HTT elements such as cavity rubble or mortar ingress. If it is not completed, then we cannot draw on funding when submitting a completed measure.

3)Where evidencing a utility bill is particularly inconvenient, we canbypass it." Why don't your reps know this?

We tend to insist upon this approach to avoid fraud. There have been occasions within the industry where the customer is not authorised to sign for the works because the property is not owned by an individual, or the person who lives there is not a domestic energy user. By insisting on a utility bill, we substantially reduce the risk of this type of fraud. As such, we don’t tend to make our reps aware of the possible workarounds.

The contract you are referring to is actually a new contract which we have needed to prepare for the change in OFGEM policy which will take effect from the end of the month. The simplification of the process which you allude to during your comments has resulted in the demise of HTT. However, as a side effect, free cavity wall insulation will be restricted to those in qualifying postcodes, CSCO postcodes, from next month. All others will probably need to pay a contribution. Our paperwork has been redesigned to reflect this. Rest assured, any work completed before the end of March will still be free.

I can only apologise for the poor response you have received from customer service. The individual concerned has been identified and the issue will be addressed.

If you do not receive full satisfaction, please feel free to ask for myself directly when you next call.

jasoneco

@jasp1972

Regrettably, the boiler replacement scheme under ECO was, and is still, fraught with administrative issues. Hence the reason we discontinued the process last October when it became apparent that funding would not be available to the majority of deserving customers.
Unfortunately, we cannot help in this regard. When you were approached by us, we endeavoured to help and assumed by following OFGEM's guidelines we would be able to. These guidelines changed constantly, as did the rate of funding.. The ultimate consequence is that there is not enough funding available to those who need it most. You would have encountered the same issues with SWALEC or anyone else you care to mention.
I cannot go into too much detail here I am afraid but if you would like to discuss the situation with me personally, please get in contact on our free phone number.
I am of course pleased that you did receive your cavity wall insulation free of charge.

stillmiserly

jasoneco

I have been away so only just seen your response. I will pass up ringing you as I have an established preference for emails or a forum where I have proof of what I asked and what the response was.

"I can only apologise for the poor response you have received from customer service. The individual concerned has been identified and the issue will be addressed."

Ugly scapegoating? How well has the person been trained? How secure are they in asking for help from above?

The irony is that you have also avoided/given a weak answer to the very question I was persisting with - ie explaining what justification you have for demanding to see a current account statement, having been offered an insurance renewal and a credit account statement both dated January 2014.

"we don’t tend to make our reps aware of the possible workarounds."

Pathetic - they should have clear instructions which defined what was acceptable. In this day and age many choose to see their bills/accounts online, with the option to download an electronic copy. To repeat what I have already told you, the only two paper utility bills I get are annual which have only just arrived. I don't think I am unique. Another abdication of responsibility? Why not add to the contract - "We take no responsiblity for anything said or done by our reps".

What is the need to bore holes for the full survey? "This is an OFGEM requirement"

You may have deduced by now that I am not thick and know all that. You even acknowledge that I have read the Ofgem info. Not even relevant to my question. I clearly referred to premature holes made during the initial call rather than at the time when the survey would be done. See also below.

"When selecting areas to canvass, we obviously choose areas with a high frequency of HTT properties."

And what criteria did you use for my estate built in 1960/70s? Many of them have been done via CERT and installers would surely not run the risk of paying for any consequential damage (eg inducing damp) by using CERT for any with HTT symptoms. What other criteria informs reps who state on arrival that the house is suitable for HTT? What form does "scouting" take?

"Rest assured, any work completed before the end of March will still be free."

What about any not likely to be completed before the end of March? Not directly my concern but have you written to tell people that they have to pay an amount but will be released from the contract if they prefer?

Nice to hear that Ofgem have grown a pair although there will be mixed views from those losing out.

You do not refer to the failure to refill my holes to an acceptable standard. I said I was waiting for another visit and am still waiting, even having sent photographs as requested. If I get no action on my walls, photos could find their way onto the internet. I have since taken better ones.

I get the overall sense that you do not actually run all the survey/installation side of things but use sub-contractors or sell the customers on, so please clarify.

I have done some external research and have also now noticed the contract says "This agreement forms the contract between you and the Installer."

I appreciate you putting your head above the parapet, but that's no good without a proper dialogue.

jasoneco

@stillmiserly

"I can only apologise for the poor response you have received from customer service. The individual concerned has been identified and the issue will be addressed."

I have apologised and promised to review our processes to avoid a recurrence.

"we don’t tend to make our reps aware of the possible workarounds."

To reiterate, this is to avoid instances of fraud and I make no apologies for it. CERT was rife with installs taking place where the lawful owner had not been correctly informed. We have put in place processes above and beyond those required by OFGEM to avoid such a circumstance.

What is the need to bore holes for the full survey? "This is an OFGEM requirement"

Again, little more I can say other than this is an OFEGM requirement, ie to evidence the existing of HTT conditions at the point of initial survey.

"When selecting areas to canvass, we obviously choose areas with a high frequency of HTT properties."

Criteria are straight forward.

1) Are there cavities on the estate based on historical insulation data?

2) Have any properties on the estate been turned down under CERT for reasons which can now be dealt with, ie cavity clearance or narrow cavity?

If both of these are answered in the affirmative then the area is visited by one of our managers who will make the final decision as to whether or not the area could have HTT properties.

"Rest assured, any work completed before the end of March will still be free."

We will only book installs where we can deliver the work for free. If there is an instance where we cannot do so in the future, we will of course discuss the situation with the customer at the earliest stage in the process possible.

I asked that you call me in relation to the boreholes, as my preference for communication is over the phone so we do not spend days on end going back and forward, though I can appreciate your own preference for transparent communication through a public forum. I have asked one of our installers to contact you directly. I will ensure that the installer concerned will be in touch by Tuesday at the latest.

We install around 60% of all customers ourselves. The overflow is picked up by one highly regarded regional subcontractor in Bristol and well known national installer in other areas.

stillmiserly

jasoneco

The good news. My holes have finally been filled by a pleasant chap who did a very good job. Pity you had to be leaned on.

Marks for responding but none for content. Except for one, you have ignored my attempts to get you addressing my real questions and have simply recycled the previous answers.

Comes with the Management Consultancy experience I suppose, which seems to cover most of your activities.

No further comment.

pensioner60

Iv been in communication with Eco residential since last Nov when they first arrived on my doorstep and I let them in ..worst thing I ever did...they drilled holes in my walls...which up to now havnt been filled in ..neither has the work been done to our property...theyre full of empty promises...wish we had never heard of this company....Just one more thing to say about them..If they come knocking on your door ...DONT LET THEM IN

JDlover

I had a dealing with these also. The person that came to my door smelt of alcohol and was very pushy. I said I would think about it and he insisted I done it there and then. I send him away i the end.

I looked for them on the green deal website where they are meant to be registered (according to there site) but was unable to find them ( if there registered in a different name I do not know)

Having looked at company check website. I saw that some of the directors have a lot of companies dissolved or have not filled accounts
for others. This raises alarm bells in my head.

Anyway I found a more reliable company who stood up to my research and used them instead.

Jim_T

"However, as a side effect, free cavity wall insulation will be restricted to those in qualifying postcodes, CSCO postcodes, from next month"

@jasoneco I'm not in a qualifying CSCO postcode, and yet I have been promised free cavity wall insulation today. I am in Bishop's Stortford, Herts - can anyone please explain what's true and what isn't?

Thanks