The Competitions and Markets Authority (CMA) has published a report setting out the findings from its call for information on consumer protection in the green heating and insulation sector. They looked at three key themes:

1. people’s experience of buying green heating and insulation products
2. business practices
3. the landscape of standards bodies which provide quality assurance and consumer protection standards for member businesses

They have identified concerns in these areas and published a report which sets out actions to help address these.

They have also published a consumer guide to assist people when buying green heating and insulation products, which sets out a summary of their key rights and protections under the law; and a set of good practice principles for standards bodies, to help raise the level of protections in the sector.

The CMA will continue to engage closely with stakeholders to share our findings and to take forward actions to help tackle the issues identified and will also be carrying out further work in this sector, focusing on business practices - in particular at misleading and greenwashing claims made by businesses about their products.

At this stage, the CMA has not reached a view as to whether consumer protection law may have been broken.

The report can be accessed via the following link: ​https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/

Alternatively, a copy can be downloaded directly from the SWIGA website:

     Download The Report >>>
 

Buying green heating and insulation products: a consumer guide

In addition to the publication of this report the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) have also produced a consumer guide to help potential buyers make decisions when purchasing and installing ‘green’ heating products (such as heat pumps, solar panels, biomass boilers) and insulation (such as cavity and solid wall, underfloor, roof and loft insulation) for your home - products which can help heat a home in an environmentally sustainable and more energy efficient way and reduce the carbon footprint.

The guide also sets out a summary of the main rights under consumer protection law.

The well thought out guide sets out and follows the key stages for people buying green heating and insulation products which they refer to as the ‘consumer journey’. 

The key stages are:

• Stage 1: Before you buy
• Stage 2: Buying green heating and insulation products
• Stage 3: Installing green heating and insulation products
• Stage 4: Post-installation
• Stage 5: What to do if something goes wrong

SWIGA recommend familiarising yourself with this guide before buying your product(s), though you can also dip into it as needed during the process.

The consumer guide can be accessed via the following link: Buying green heating and insulation products: a consumer guide >>>

Alternatively you can download a copy directly from the SWIGA website:

     Download The Consumer Guide >>>

Finally, to support the comprehensive consumer guide, the CAM have also published a short reference sheet entitled: Top tips for consumers: Buying green heating and insulation products.

This contains a list of 10 tips covering each stage:

• Before you buy
• When you're ready to buy
• Installation
• After installation
• If something goes wrong
• Consumer rights

A handy quick reference guide which should be used in conjunction with the comprehensive consumer guide.

You can access the CMA's top tips for consumers buying insulation products via the following link:  https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/Top_tips_for_consumers__Buying_insulation_products.pdf

Alternatively you can download a copy directly from the SWIGA website:

     Download The CMA Top Tips For Consumers >>>