With the escalation in energy prices, there are concerns that homeowners looking for ways to cut their bills are ripe for exploitation.
The Competition & Markets Authority (CMA) has launched a call for information looking at consumer experiences and business practices in the green heating and insulation sectors. It will explore whether action is needed to help prevent consumers being ripped off.
The CMA said that it was concerned about the potential for poor practices, such as making misleading claims about potential cost savings, product performance and suitability – particularly when selling newer technologies. Consumer groups have already raised concerns, it said, including that consumers have a limited understanding of some newer green heating products and the process for buying them can be complicated and confusing.
The CMA is inviting comment on the topic of buying or selling home insulation (including wall, loft and spray foam), as well as home heating technologies.
As well as domestic solar systems and heat pumps, it is also looking into the sales and marketing of biomass boilers and hydrogen-ready boilers.
CMA interim chief executive Sarah Cardell said: “Reducing energy use is at the top of everyone’s agenda – be that because of rising bills, climate change or both.
“To help more people move to green heating and better insulate their homes, it’s essential that businesses understand and follow their legal obligations when selling and installing. That way, consumers can be confident they are being treated fairly.
“That’s why we want to hear from consumers, businesses and other key groups about their experience now, so we can root out any problems early on and avoid them in future.
Citizens Advice head of energy policy Gillian Cooper added: “Making our homes greener is key for us to reduce dependency on expensive gas and bring down our energy bills in the long-run. But people need to feel confident about installing new technology, like heat pumps and solar panels. Strong consumer protections must be in place in case the installation goes wrong. It’s essential to find out about any challenges people are facing, so that problems can be fixed.”
Interested parties are invited to share their views through a questionnaire by 1st November 2022.
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