‘Worrying gap’ in consumer protections for green home technologies

People spending thousands of pounds on green home technologies have fewer protections than those taking out a mobile phone contract, according to new research from Citizens Advice.

Highlighting a “worrying gap” in consumer protections for the installation of technologies like heat pumps and solar panels, the charity said they are also “far better” for financial products such as loans, pensions and insurance.

Citizens Advice said installers of heat pumps, insulation or micro-generation only have to join a mandatory scheme if government funding is involved, and even then, there are no protections if things go wrong due to misselling, scams or rogue traders. It additionally noted that green home technologies are currently covered by 12 different accreditation schemes, leaving consumers unsure if they are choosing high quality providers and installers.

Furthermore, there are no guidelines for installers and no complaints process that guarantees an outcome. The consumer advocate said these are standard practices for mobile phone contracts or loans.

The warning comes shortly after the government confirmed plans as part of its Heat and Buildings Strategy to provide £5,000 grants for the replacement of gas boilers with low-carbon heating systems as it seeks to fulfil its earlier commitment to install 600,000 heat pumps per year by 2028.

Citizens Advice said this would represent a more than 20-fold increase on the 26,000 heat pumps installed across the UK last year.

The charity called for the creation of a single accreditation and inspection scheme for anyone installing green home technologies and said a single body should have the power to audit providers, prevent a companies from operating if they fall below standards, and set clear, enforceable consequences if they break the rules. It said this would follow the model for financial services, whereby nearly all activities must be authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Gillian Cooper, head of energy policy at Citizens Advice, said: “If the government wants to hit its net zero by 2050 target it’s going to need to make it as easy as possible for people to make changes to their homes. Right now, it’s confusing and complex with people not knowing where to start finding a decent installer.

“Both the Heat and Buildings Strategy and Net Zero Strategy show clear ambition but achieving current targets won’t be simple. Strong consumer protections are still needed to help people navigate the difficult process of making green home improvements.

“People need to know how to find a trustworthy installer and that they’ll be protected if things go wrong. Establishing a single mandatory scheme is a key way in which the government can support the public to meet this once-in-a-generation challenge.”