Energy saving scam! help!

winnie21

Hello,

I need some help on what to do......

My Nan about a month ago was contacted by REC Home Audits, regarding a new free boiler, but she had to pay £399 for a surveyor to come and inspect the house to see if she was eligible.

She paid the money and a surveyor did come to inspect the house and told her she could have a new boiler, and that she would hear off them in the next couple of weeks.

She hadn't heard off them and tried ringing the number on the letter from them and all she got was a automated message and after 5 minutes she would get cut off. She also sent a tracked letter to the address on the letter she was sent from them only for it to come back saying the addressee had "gone away".

She then told me about it all and asked if I could send them a email, I decided to look into it, it's a scam, I even read that the "managers" and "directors" have been arrested for fraud!

How do I even start in getting my Nan her money back? Do we go to the police, the bank....

We would be grateful for any advice

naedanger

I suggest online reporting here:

http://www.actionfraud.police.uk/

footyguy

winnie21 wrote: »

Hello,

I need some help on what to do......

My Nan about a month ago was contacted by REC Home Audits, regarding a new free boiler, but she had to pay £399 for a surveyor to come and inspect the house to see if she was eligible.

She paid the money and a surveyor did come to inspect the house and told her she could have a new boiler, and that she would hear off them in the next couple of weeks.

She hadn't heard off them and tried ringing the number on the letter from them and all she got was a automated message and after 5 minutes she would get cut off. She also sent a tracked letter to the address on the letter she was sent from them only for it to come back saying the addressee had "gone away".

She then told me about it all and asked if I could send them a email, I decided to look into it, it's a scam, I even read that the "managers" and "directors" have been arrested for fraud!

How do I even start in getting my Nan her money back? Do we go to the police, the bank....

We would be grateful for any advice

If your nan feels she has cause to recover her money, she would need to complain to the business that took the money, send a letter before action, and then bring about a small claim if necessary.

As usual, you can't get blood out of a stone, so before your nan wastes more of her good money chasing bad, she needs to establish if there are any funds available to recover (and if so, where it is).

Edit:

REC Home Audits appears to be a trading style of RENEWABLE ENERGIES CENTRE LTD, a limited company only Incorporated 02-Jun-2014.
(so there's not much available in the way of any credit history, financial records, etc )
It states it's business is that of a call centre.

I see it was advertising new call handlers as recently as July
http://jobs.westernmorningnews.co.uk/job/501630259/call-centre-operators/
so that's probably good news.
Mind you, experience wasn't necessary and they did say they paid "fabulous commission rates!"

What research did your nan do into this business before parting with her hard earned cash?

winnie21

Thats the problem, there doesnt seem to be a business anymore, we can't get hold of anyone on the contact details on the letters they have sent my Nan.

footyguy

winnie21 wrote: »

Thats the problem, there doesnt seem to be a business anymore, we can't get hold of anyone on the contact details on the letters they have sent my Nan.

I've just added a bit more to my earlier post.
The limited company still exists. You can obtain their registered office address from the companies house website.

Edit: From what I can see it appears to be the same address as given in their terms & conditions/complaint procedure

winnie21

I dont think she did any research! She won't be doing it again bless her! I think she thought she was getting a bargain!

I bet there commission rates are fabulous!!

Thank you, I'll get on and try and contact them tomorrow

Be_Happy

Did she pay by credit card. If so, there's no problem. She will be covered under the Credit Card protection scheme.