Home owners warned against fake Green Deal contractors

Geoffrey Cox, Conservative MP for Torridge and West Devon, has recently warned that some contractors are taking advantage of the Green Deal and posing as accredited suppliers of the energy project. Companies are approaching people and offering Green Deal assessments and home improvements when they are not in fact associated with the project at all.

The has been an increase in the number of people getting in touch with Mr Cox claiming to have paid non-accredited firms for home improvements, having been falsely told that they would be able to reclaim the cost.

Mr Cox said: “I am extremely troubled by the current trend I am seeing whereby honest individuals are essentially being conned into parting with their money. They seem legitimate and money is being handed over in good faith as people want to make a difference to the environment. I am reassured that the Government is doing everything possible to try and stop these rogue companies from operating, and I would urge everyone who is considering getting work done to be extremely vigilant.”

A spokesman for the DECC said: “Consumer protection is at the heart of the Green Deal and we have an effective process to deal with authorised participants. Where rogue companies operate outside of the existing framework but claim to act on behalf of the Green Deal then the existing consumer protection provided by Trading Standards and the legal system apply.”

About the author

Carl Nelson

Carl has over 15 yrs of experience in construction works including, Design & Planning, Project Management using GC/Wks & JCT Forms of Contracts. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Building (FCIOB) and member of the Chartered Institution of Occupational Safety & Health (MIOSH). Carl takes a keen interest in Adjudication and is a member of the Forum for International Conciliation& Arbitration (FICA) and a named member for Dispute Resolvers.