02/08/2023 - Caution urged by council against energy grant scams
Households in Luton are urged to look out for scams and rogue traders posing as credible installers of household energy efficiency measures.
Whilst many of the schemes are genuine, there has been an increase in scams and rogue traders carrying out substandard installations and charging households for additional payments not agreed in writing. Many of these rogue traders claim to operating on behalf of Luton Council.
Luton Council urges residents to check the credentials of schemes before signing up by using a checklist on its website. Key guidance includes:
- The council does not pay for these installations or have schemes acting on its behalf. It simply directs residents to government grant funded grants, which can be found on the council’s website.
- Never agreeing to works from cold callers or doorstep traders.
- Checking reviews for any installer.
- Checking that a company is registered through the Competent Persons Scheme (CPS).
Councillor Tom Shaw,
Portfolio Holder for Housing, said “Whilst we encourage our residents to sign
up for energy efficiency schemes to save money, I urge them to be cautious when
doing so. Where there are genuine attempts to help people rogue traders see an
opportunity to exploit the most vulnerable.”
“You can protect yourself from scammers and rogue traders by checking our energy grant checklist before signing up for any scheme. The checklist on Luton Council’s website has been compiled jointly by our Housing team, Building Control and Trading Standards, it outlines the key things to look out for.”
It’s also important that homeowners are aware that they are responsible for all works carried out in their home, so they should always make the proper checks so they are not left with defective or substandard work.
The full checklist to consider before signing up to a scheme can be found here.