ECO4 - It is great but beware!!

wrf12345

You could do a U-Tube video on the problems and see if that gets anyone interested... a couple of companies on there do remedial work, sometime for free, I think, but use their channels to promote themselves

Stock4ever

Had this scheme,  really bad decision,  solar panels, heat source air pump,  used 4000kw electricity since December.  So expensive to run,  I keep getting told by the company I'll make the loss back in summer,  I've a lot to make back.  The property is wrong for this type of system.  Electricity bill average £400+ per month as opposed to £80 per month. My husband has limited mobility so I need to keep the property warm. Just don't know what to do 

Stock4ever

Thank you for that,  unfortunately being a lady of a certain age (mid 70s) I'm not too good with U Tube. Just wondered if there's another way 

Observer9

NedS said:

Vikingbysea said:

Oh no!  Anyone had anyone positive outcomes?! - I am about to finish being on benefits as my daughters have almost finished school, so I wanted to get a new boiler as my old 16 year old one works OK now, but I wont be able to afford the £7K needed in the future! - So I thought this would be a good bet!! - It sounds like a lot of extras - you mentioned rendering - which I spent a fortune getting redone a couple of years back!!

We have recently had our house updated on ECO4 scheme and had a positive experience, eventually.

We had a number of surveys with different companies, and got varying distances into the process before each pulled out saying they were unable to do the work. Some were more honest as to the reasons than others - it seems to me there are plenty of companies out there that just want to cherry pick the easy jobs and once they see it is complex and not a straight-forward retrofit (and not many are), they lose interest.

Anyway, on to our 4th or 5th company, and we found a winner.

As others have mentioned, the most common business model for these firms seems to be the main firm sub-contracts out all the work, and simply project manages and is responsible for claiming the grant money. We were lucky inasmuch as our project manager was good, and very quickly chased up any small niggles and got them resolved. The 3 sub-contractors, for internal wall insulation, ASHP and solar installations were all excellent, and we were very pleased with the work carried out.

I think expectations are important here - firstly we had a very good idea before entering into the process of exactly what we wanted, and going through 3-4 extensive surveys and quotes before setting on a company only strengthened that. We were also very realistic about the time frame for works and the disruption it would cause - you cannot retrofit these types of measures into a family home without causing significant disruption, and to expect anything less is totally unrealistic.

To add context, coincidentally two of our immediate neighbours have had their properties done under ECO4 at almost the same time - one had a bad experience with contractors not turning up and poor workmanship, the other had a better experience with a good outcome but said the project management did lack as they never knew in advance what was happening when, and contractors just seemed to turn up at random to begin work (which makes it near impossible to plan for the expected disruption).

It seems we have been quite fortunate, but I like to attribute at least some of that good fortune down to our own planning.

Please could you name the companies you and your neighbours had a positive experience with. 

Many thanks in advance 

Grwndibwndi1

Is there a support group for consumers that CONSUMER ENERGY SOLUTIONS have ruined their property and lives please.