Latest news with #MiattaFahnbulleh
Scotsman
20-05-2025
- General
- Scotsman
Call for action as survey reveals 35% of homes with spray foam have defect
Homeowners in Scotland are being urged to be vigilant to issues surrounding spray foam insulation. From gorgeous Georgian town houses to jaw-dropping penthouses, converted campervans to bargain boltholes. Take a peek at the finest homes across the UK. Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The move comes as a national survey conducted by national trade body the Property Care Association (PCA) has found that 35% of homes fitted with spray foam insulation had one or more defects as a result. In 27% of cases, this included recommendations to replace the insulation in the roof or replace the roof altogether. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The problems and costs involved are so significant that PCA has joined with the HomeOwners Alliance to reiterate calls for action from the government in a second letter to Miatta Fahnbulleh MP, Minister for Energy Consumers and Rushanara Ali MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government). Chief Executive of the HomeOwners Alliance, Paula Higgins Sarah Garry is Chief Executive at the PCA. She said: 'Our survey of spray foam surveyors is, as far as we know, the only type of independent questioning on this topic to have happened in the UK to date. 'The results show that surveyors identified one or more divergence from the Sprayed Foam Inspection Protocol in 79% of properties and that surveyors identified one or more defect in 35% of properties as a result of spray foam. 'In 27% of cases, surveyors recommended major works, either replacing the insulation or re-roofing the property. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'We are calling on the government to step in and help homeowners, including those in the Scotland area, who might find themselves in a position where they are stuck and unable to sell, are unable to access equity release products, are faced with hefty remediation bills for removal or are being targeted by unscrupulous spray foam removal firms. Sarah Garry, Chief Executive at the PCA 'Many of these homeowners are elderly and vulnerable and the reality is that the situation is getting worse, not better.' The PCA helped author the Sprayed Foam Protocol alongside mortgage lenders and equity release companies and last year launched a register of surveyors, giving residents and lenders assurance that surveyors are adequately trained. Earlier this year, the PCA, alongside a group of industry stakeholders, also published a guide for consumers who already have spray foam installed in their property, setting out concerns and signposting to advice. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Of the 21 companies included on the register of spray foam surveyors, 15 shared findings based on more than 500 property inspections carried out since the register was introduced in January 2024. In the UK around 250,000 homes have spray foam insulation which, if incorrectly installed, can lead to condensation build-up, potentially causing timber rot or decay, mould and mildew growth or rust and corrosion to metal components. Previously, the HomeOwners Alliance issued a warning to homeowners to avoid installing spray foam for the time being. Chief Executive of the HomeOwners Alliance, Paula Higgins said: 'The current position is unfair to homeowners who have taken reasonable steps, and in many cases were encouraged by government grants, to install the product. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'At the moment it's not known how many of the properties referred to in the survey had spray foam installed with support of government grants. 'We will support the PCA and Trustmark to identify these properties and continue to press government for recourse to be available to them. 'In the meantime, our concern is that people are being targeted by cold callers offering to remove spray foam insulation. 'It is likely that they have acquired details illegally and we urge householders not to engage with them and report the situation to their local trading standards office with concerns.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Sarah Garry added: 'We continue to ask the government to bring together a roundtable of specialist property experts, lenders and equity release companies, to agree whether spray foam should continue to be included within government grants and to agree a process to allow the sale of property with retrofitted spray foam.'
Scotsman
19-05-2025
- General
- Scotsman
Call for action as survey reveals 35% of homes with spray foam have defect
Homeowners in Edinburgh are being urged to be vigilant to issues surrounding spray foam insulation. From gorgeous Georgian town houses to jaw-dropping penthouses, converted campervans to bargain boltholes. Take a peek at the finest homes across the UK. Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The move comes as a national survey conducted by national trade body the Property Care Association (PCA) has found that 35% of homes fitted with spray foam insulation had one or more defects as a result. In 27% of cases, this included recommendations to replace the insulation in the roof or replace the roof altogether. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The problems and costs involved are so significant that PCA has joined with the HomeOwners Alliance to reiterate calls for action from the government in a second letter to Miatta Fahnbulleh MP, Minister for Energy Consumers and Rushanara Ali MP, Parliamentary Under Secretary (Housing, Communities and Local Government). Chief Executive of the HomeOwners Alliance, Paula Higgins Sarah Garry is Chief Executive at the PCA. She said: 'Our survey of spray foam surveyors is, as far as we know, the only type of independent questioning on this topic to have happened in the UK to date. 'The results show that surveyors identified one or more divergence from the Sprayed Foam Inspection Protocol in 79% of properties and that surveyors identified one or more defect in 35% of properties as a result of spray foam. 'In 27% of cases, surveyors recommended major works, either replacing the insulation or re-roofing the property. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'We are calling on the government to step in and help homeowners, including those in the Edinburgh area, who might find themselves in a position where they are stuck and unable to sell, are unable to access equity release products, are faced with hefty remediation bills for removal or are being targeted by unscrupulous spray foam removal firms. Sarah Garry is Chief Executive at the PCA 'Many of these homeowners are elderly and vulnerable and the reality is that the situation is getting worse, not better.' The PCA helped author the Sprayed Foam Protocol alongside mortgage lenders and equity release companies and last year launched a register of surveyors, giving residents and lenders assurance that surveyors are adequately trained. Earlier this year, the PCA, alongside a group of industry stakeholders, also published a guide for consumers who already have spray foam installed in their property, setting out concerns and signposting to advice. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Of the 21 companies included on the register of spray foam surveyors, 15 shared findings based on more than 500 property inspections carried out since the register was introduced in January 2024. In the UK around 250,000 homes have spray foam insulation which, if incorrectly installed, can lead to condensation build-up, potentially causing timber rot or decay, mould and mildew growth or rust and corrosion to metal components. Previously, the HomeOwners Alliance issued a warning to homeowners to avoid installing spray foam for the time being. Chief Executive of the HomeOwners Alliance, Paula Higgins said: 'The current position is unfair to homeowners who have taken reasonable steps, and in many cases were encouraged by government grants, to install the product. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'At the moment it's not known how may of the properties referred to in the survey had spray foam installed with support of government grants. 'We will support the PCA and Trustmark to identify these properties and continue to press government for recourse to be available to them. 'In the meantime, our concern is that people are being targeted by cold callers offering to remove spray foam insulation. 'It is likely that they have acquired details illegally and we urge householders not to engage with them and report the situation to their local trading standards office with concerns.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Sarah Garry added: 'We continue to ask the government to bring together a roundtable of specialist property experts, lenders and equity release companies, to agree whether spray foam should continue to be included within government grants and to agree a process to allow the sale of property with retrofitted spray foam.' Property owners with spray foam can find more information and advice at: , jointly produced by the PCA, Residential Property Surveyors Association (RPSA), Insulation Manufacturers Association (IMA), Bangor University, Andy Wilson Financial Services and RPC.
BBC News
16-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Lincoln's heat network project plans awarded £15.5m by government
A company developing low-carbon heating networks has been awarded £15.5m to supply civic and commercial buildings in Lincoln city government has given the money to Hemiko via its Green Heat Network Fund, which invests in innovative heating projects to reduce carbon emissions and improve energy heat network scheme in Lincoln will involve distributing waste heat from a data centre, using air source heat pumps to warm water that will run through underground pipes to customers.A Hemiko spokesperson said the project would create 40 local jobs over the first five years of the network being built, with construction expected to begin in spring 2026 if plans are approved. Minister for Energy Consumers Miatta Fahnbulleh said: "Heat networks will play an important role in our mission for clean power by 2030, helping us to achieve energy independence and lower bills."Initial proposals for the scheme, detailed on the government's website, show 34 buildings in Lincoln could benefit from the project including a hospital, college, cathedral and council offices.A planning application is yet to be company said it planned to build a new data centre to "meet the data needs of Lincoln's businesses, while supplying cheap low carbon heat to the heat network".It is hoped supply to the first set of customers will start in Toby Heysham said the scheme would lead to a "remarkable transformation in Lincoln". He said: "By drawing heat for the network from a co-located data centre, this project represents a dual revolution: the green industrial revolution and the tech revolution. "It's wonderful to see these initiatives working hand in hand to drive growth, create local jobs and attract investment into Lincoln's economy." Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.
The Herald Scotland
13-05-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
UKGov warn firms as 100,000+ Scots face energy cuts over meter crisis
As of March 8, some 160,246 Scots households, were still reliant on old meters that rely on the Radio Teleswitching Service (RTS) which enables electricity suppliers to switch households different energy tariffs including Scotland only tariffs Total Heat Total Control from OVO, Comfort Plus from Scottish Power, and Economy 7 or Economy 10. It helps deliver specific savings for customers who use electricity for their heating and hot water provision. The BBC radio service that supports RTS meters was due to be switched off at the end of March, last year, as plans to roll out smart meters across Scotland that allows existing heating and hot water to work without needing to use the radio signal has faltered. But that deadline has extended to June 30. (Image: Scottish Power) According to the Energy UK trade association, efforts to replace them across the whole of the UK in April stood at over 1,000 installations a day although it says that the replacement programme is "gathering momentum all the time". And they have admitted that it will be "undoubtedly challenging " to be able to meet the deadline. It has led to concerns that tens of thousands of Scottish households will be cut off. The Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFHA), Blackwood Homes and Care and Wheatley Group are now among those to call for greater action from energy companies to replace affected meters. READ MORE: Why has Scotland been hardest hit in the big BBC radio switch-off 'crisis' The great £60bn green energy 'carve up': Anger over Scots contracts going abroad Herald reporter recognised as 'Fuel Poverty Hero' Energy boss: Scots could have 'cheapest electricity in UK' under zonal pricing Brian Wilson: Let the lesson be learned: security of energy supply is paramount Briefings from Ofgem, the energy regulator over RTS warn that if people choose not to upgrade to smart meter "your heating and hot water may be left continually on or off". It also means electricity bills could be higher as the supplier cannot accurately monitor usage during peak and off-peak times. The Herald has been told that the energy consumers' minister has told Energy UK and Ofgem on a fortnightly basis to discuss progress and energy suppliers' plans for the switch-off to have a "particular focus on Scotland and remote and rural areas". The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero Energy has warned that suppliers are "obligated" under their licence conditions to ensure that a suitable alternative metering system is installed and that the customer's service is not disrupted. And a Department for Energy Security and Net Zero source said: "We demand that suppliers must meet their obligations to consumers and ensure that no one loses heating or hot water. Energy consumers minister Miatta Fahnbulleh 'This includes rapidly increasing the pace of replacements so that there is a smooth transition and consumers are protected. "The Government will do everything it can to ensure that all consumers are protected." He added: "For years the pace of the RTS replacements has been too slow, which is why the government has taken decisive action to put the transition back on track. "The RTS and the work to replace it, is industry owned and led. The date for the switch off was agreed by industry and work on replacing meters is overseen by Energy UK and Ofgem. "Energy suppliers have been contacting households and businesses with RTS meters to arrange appropriate metering solutions before the switch off. If consumers think they have an RTS meter they should contact their supplier immediately. Frazer Scott, chief executive of Energy Action Scotland, which has been in a meeting with representatives of Ofgem and Energy UK said there issues around funds to support people who need additional electrical work. He said there was a process still being worked out to identify a pot of funding with less than two months to go before the switch off with "no detail and no criteria." And he said that the installations were just "not ramping sufficiently". "The pace of change is too slow and people are being put at risk," he said. "They are at risk of losing heating and hot water or face spiralling energy costs if there systems stay on. "Suppliers need to communicate better with customers, meet commitments that they meet on installations and get their installers to get upgrades right first time." Last year Scotland was at the bottom of the British league table over the installation of smart meters, which is due to replace RTS, despite the energy regulator Ofgem writing to energy suppliers raising concerns at the speed of the roll out. "With such a short timescale and a mountain to climb, government, regulator and industry need to do much much more than they have. This is an avoidable crisis." Analysis shows that 51% domestic electricity meters were 'smart' in Scotland last year, compared to 63% for Great Britain. In 2023, 43% in Scotland were 'smart'. Of nearly 400 local authority areas of Great Britain the ten areas with the least take-up of smart meters, five were in Scotland. They are all in some of Scotland's more remote and rural local authorities with Shetland having just a 10% take-up a rise from 7% the previous year, Orkney with 12% up from 9%, the Western Isles Council area of Na h-Eileanan Siar with 16% up from 9%, Argyll and Bute with 27% up from 20% and Highland with 35%. The lowest take-up of electricity smart meters operated by energy suppliers in the UK is in the Isles of Scilly with just 7% converting. The SFHA said it is working with the energy regulator to raise awareness of the issue and is set to welcome a delegation from Ofgem to a social housing development in Aberdeen later this month. SFHA chief executive Sally Thomas said: 'Time is urgently running out to replace RTS meters across Scotland and prevent thousands of Scotland's social tenants being left without heating or hot water. 'Energy suppliers need to ramp up the replacement of RTS meters across Scotland, particularly in the most-affected rural areas, otherwise there is a serious risk of plunging thousands more tenants into fuel poverty." The End Fuel Poverty Coalition has already written to the energy consumers minister Miatta Fahnbulleh and the chief executive of the sector regulator Ofgem raising "serious concerns" about what it called a "crisis" over the meter replacement effort. The coalition has also challenged the lack of clarity around the regulator's 'no detriment' commitment, which is designed to ensure that people who move from an RTS meter to a new connection do not have to pay more for their energy. Ms Thomas added: 'SFHA has been working constructively with our member housing associations and the energy regulator, Ofgem, to raise awareness of the issue. 'It's vital that energy companies set out how they plan to clear the backlog of meter replacements and support those who will not have new meters in place by the deadline to ensure no tenant is left behind.' An Energy UK spokesman said: "Suppliers have been pulling out all the stops to replace the remaining RTS meters as soon as possible. This includes continuing to contact customers directly through multiple channels, in addition to extensive outreach and advertising campaigns in partnership with local authorities, consumer groups and Ofgem. Suppliers have been contacting and alerting customers about the switch-off for some time now and have stepped their efforts up further in recent months. 'Suppliers' main focus is on stepping up installation rates further and continuing this momentum ahead of the deadline. It will undoubtedly be challenging to replace all these meters by the June 30th date – it means getting access to every single property to carry out the installation, many of which are in remote areas, which can make both initial contact and arranging the replacement difficult, and ultimately it requires all customers to respond to contact from their supplier. 'So remaining RTS customers are urged to contact their supplier without delay to arrange a replacement and ensure a smooth switchover that enables their heating and hot water to continue operating in the same way. But the industry is also working closely with the Government and regulator on a carefully managed phase out process to avoid disruption to any remaining customers, particularly those in vulnerable circumstances.'
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Why Scotland could be hardest hit by RTS meter switch off
A worrying deadline is looming for nearly 135,000 Scottish homes that have old-style RTS electricity meters installed. From 30 June, the radio signal that controls them will start to be switched off - with a risk customers could be left without heating and hot water. Another scenario is that heating could start running all the time and customers could see their bills soar. Energy suppliers are racing against the clock to replace the old equipment. But meeting the deadline is a huge challenge, particularly in Scotland which accounts for a third of the total number of RTS meters in the UK still waiting to be upgraded. RTS stands for Radio Teleswitch Service - a system dating back to the 1980s that uses a radio signal to tell meters to switch between different electricity price rates. It uses the longwave radio frequency, which is becoming obsolete, and the equipment that generates the signal is due to be switched off this summer. Most households, including those with older meters, will be unaffected. But homes that use electric storage heaters or pay different electricity rates at different times of the day are more likely to have RTS equipment fitted. Figures obtained by BBC Scotland News suggest by the end of April there were about 432,000 RTS meters still to be replaced in the UK - with nearly 135,000 located in Scottish properties. The reason for the disproportionate number in Scotland is partly due to geography. With a large rural population in areas like the Highlands and Islands, many households are off the mains gas grid and therefore more likely to use electricity for hot water and heating. Urban areas are also affected because Scottish energy suppliers were pro-active in encouraging use of storage heaters in the late 20th Century, promoting cheaper tariffs such as Economy 7 or Economy 10. Storage heaters were also seen as a good option for replacing open fires in local authority or social housing. Many of these homes are now privately-owned. About half of the meters waiting to be replaced are believed to be in the Highlands and Islands, but around 20,000 are thought to be in Glasgow. Energy suppliers have been writing to customers, urging them to make an appointment to get their RTS meters replaced with a smart meter. But the rate of replacement appears to be way behind what is required to meet the 30 June deadline when the signal is switched off. In September, there were about 175,000 RTS meters waiting to be replaced in Scotland and since then that figure has fallen by about 40,000 - a replacement rate of under 6,000 per month. Meeting the 30 June deadline would require a 12-fold increase in the number of replacements being carried out. The issue was debated at Westminster in early April when UK energy minister Miatta Fahnbulleh said the replacement rate was "not acceptable". However, she said that suppliers were promising a "spring sprint" to try to meet the deadline in Scotland. A number of customers have contacted BBC Scotland to report they have had difficulties arranging meter replacement appointments. Scottish Power said 80% of its replacements had either been completed or scheduled but that 20% of affected customers did not yet have an appointment. The firm pointed out that the signal switch-off was phased and would not end completely until September. The SNP has called for the 30 June switch-off date to be delayed, or for a guarantee of compensation if customers face increased costs. The UK government said it was demanding that suppliers increase the pace of replacements and that they ensure no-one loses heating or hot water. Some - but not all - RTS systems have a separate box near the electricity meter with the words "radio teleswitch" or "radio telemeter". If you pay a different tariff for electricity at different times of the day - and the switching occurs automatically - this is an indication you may be affected. Electricity tariffs named "Comfort Plus" and "Total Heat Total Control" are linked with RTS meters. Homes with electric storage and water heaters are more likely to use the equipment. If in doubt, the best advice is to contact your electricity supplier. Suppliers should replace the old RTS meters free of charge. But there might be charges if the meter needs to be moved or wiring replaced. Suppliers should inform customers if this is the case. Customers are warned to be wary of people offering to replace meters for a fee, in case they are scammers. Smart meters can work in a similar way to the old-style meters by providing automated switching between peak and off-peak rates. They should also be able to turn hot water systems off and on. However, customers will have to move onto a new smart meter tariff which could involve changes such as different off-peak times. Orkney MP Alistair Carmichael has reported complaints from constituents who say the cheapest tariff is no longer available to them after replacements, and that their bills have risen. The regulator Ofgem is working with suppliers on how to fulfil a pledge that customers should be no worse off as a result of the switchover. Another issue with smart meters is that they sometimes struggle to work in areas like the Highlands and Islands where there is poor network connectivity. An alternative in such cases is to have a smart meter which is pre-programmed to switch to different rates at certain times of the day. Warning meters in 300,000 homes could stop working Customers face heating problems if meters not replaced
