Failures in energy efficiency schemes has been reported in The Guardian today. The report reveals that following an investigation almost all the external insulation fitted under the previous government’s energy efficiency scheme was installed so poorly it will have to be repaired or replaced.
Thousands of homeowners who took advantage of the home insulation schemes have been left with incompetently fitted cladding that in some cases is likely to cause damp and mould. Of the roughly 23,000 homes fitted with external wall insulation
under the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) and Great British Insulation Scheme (GBIS), 98% need repairs, according to a National Audit Office (NAO) investigation.
A further 9,000 to 13,000 homes fitted with internal insulation also have major problems – 29% of those who had these works carried out, the NAO said. Gareth Davies, head of the NAO says that: “ECO and other such schemes are important to help reduce fuel poverty and meet the government’s ambitions for energy efficiency. But clear failures in the design and set-up of ECO and in the consumer protection system have led to poor-quality installations, as well as suspected fraud. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) must now ensure that businesses meet their obligations to repair all affected homes as quickly as possible. It must also reform the system so that this cannot happen again.”