Door to door salesman: government subsidy backed free cavity insulation

chamelion

Hi folks,

I've just had this door to door salesperson knock on the door. He's from "energy saving people ltd", https://www.energy-savingpeople.com.

He told me that he could put in loft and cavity installation in the house free of charge, covered by a government grant. He just wanted name and contact details and have me this quotation form where he kept writing 'free' and 'government grant'.

Obviously this sounds seriously shady. Do schemes like this actually exist? I'm not on any benefits at the moment and doubt I'd qualify if it were needs based.

Would appreciate your thoughts! Thanks.

pogofish

Complete con! Same with boilers, tax refunds, solar stuff and the authorities seem to do little to stop them. :mad:

You can check your eligibility for various grants/subsidies on the govt website and I'll lay money that you won't be getting a penny.

How these guys operate is that once into your home, they start finding all sorts of "extra", non-subsidised work that just has to be done and they can do it for a price - a heavy price!

Doozergirl

I'm not sure about loft and cavity anymore, but companies like that do exist, or certainly have done.

My cousin benefitted from it, in fact, they did every house in the entire area. All the little red brick terraces turned to white rendered houses over the course of about a year. Privately owned, but in a deprived area and targetted somehow.

I know that energy companies still have targets but I think they're limited to people on certain benefits now. It used to be all of us that paid little or nothing.

Ask them what scheme it falls under and google it. I don't know that much and their website looks a bit lacking in detail but there might be some money left floating around in certain places for certain people?

Davesnave

pogofish wrote: »

You can check your eligibility for various grants/subsidies on the govt website and I'll lay money that you won't be getting a penny.

How these guys operate is that once into your home, they start finding all sorts of "extra", non-subsidised work that just has to be done and they can do it for a price - a heavy price!

Things may have changed, but a year ago we were given free loft insulation without a means test or payment ....and our loft is huge.

We were leafleted, not doorstep called. My wife responded because British Gas had just dumped us, along with all those in its queue for free insulation. (We 'lost' all of our original stuff when we refurbed - it went to other good homes.)

Like you, I said, "This will be a con!" but I was wrong.

The fitting firm was based in Cardiff, for which Devon isn't a natural catchment, so that convinced me it was dodgy. Nevertheless, a personable, older man turned up to do the initial assessment, which he carried out thoroughly, taking photos throughout the loft.

A week or two later, the fitting guys arrived.....from Penzance! They were actually builders from Merthyr Tydfil, but they'd been working in the West Country all week, fitting insulation. They'd source it from the nearest Travis Perkins and fit same day.

The two chaps worked like mad, laid the stuff to 270mm, and even gave me a full sheet of Celotex left over from the last job.

The original guy came back to inspect the job afterwards, taking more photos. He said all the photography was necessary because others had been only doing half a job, or no job at all, but still claiming subsidy.

So, there you are. Free insulation that was a genuine offer and properly done. I can still barely believe it myself!

The company who did the work were Evan Thomas & Sons, Cardiff but I can't remember the name of the leafleting firm.

EDIT: The leaflet was sent out via PO deliveries to specific postcodes, but that's all I can recall.

silverwhistle

I had a door-knocker today as well, down here in Hampshire, possibly from the same company, although I didn't really look at his ID. "I'm not selling anything!" he said... I told him I had cavity wall insulation so he changed tack and started wittering on about council funded review of your property, so I just told him, not interested and he went away.

Just seen Davesnave's mention of leafletting. This guy had a handful but didn't leave me one, which would have been a sensible approach "Ok, but have a review of this.."

MX5huggy

There's a new tranch of ECO funding come online, one part is not income dependent. https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/environmental-programmes/eco/support-improving-your-home

keith969

I regularly get calls from companies that tell me I can have free loft insulation.

I reply that's great, but wait... I don't have a loft :rotfl:

chamelion

MX5huggy wrote: »

There's a new tranch of ECO funding come online, one part is not income dependent. https://www.ofgem.gov.uk/environmental-programmes/eco/support-improving-your-home

Thanks for this! Just called of gem and they confirmed that none of their accredited providers would do door to door sales. He checked property details and my details and confirmed I would not be eligible for the grant scheme and the 2nd scheme around carbon emissions is not currently offered by my council. So told me to approach with caution if I do proceed...

Paul_Garvey

There are grants available for low income households to enable them to get new and more efficient heating and adequate insualtion installed in their homes. The scheme is ECO2t and its the UK Government's Energy Company Obligation Scheme.

Paul_Garvey

The Energy Reduction Team (ERT) based in the North West work withapproved suppliers and installers of energy efficient boilers and heaters under the Governments ECO2t scheme, providing homeowners and tenants with energy efficient heating and insulation measures. Eco2t is aimed at low income households to enable them to get new and more efficient heating and adequate insulation installe din their homes. The scheme is focusing on 'off gas' properties.