OFT demands more insulation choice for Green Deal

Grant Prior 13 years ago
Share

The Office of Fair Trading is demanding more competition in the home insulation market ahead of the start of the Green Deal programme in October.

The competition watchdog wants to see more manufacturers enter the market where “there are only a very small number of manufacturers supplying home insulation products.”

It is also calling for a new body to be set-up to oversee the quality of Green Deal work and handle complaints from homeowners.

The OFT received a number of complaints about the length of time it can take for new insulation products to be approved for use in the market.

It is now calling for product certification bodies to improve their processes to lower the barriers for manufacturers trying to develop innovative new products.

The OFT is also encouraging contractors and architects to be more open to specifying products from more than one UK product certification body.

OFT Director of Services, Infrastructure and Public Markets, Nisha Arora, said: “The home insulation sector is now worth some £700 million and it is important that people receive good quality, well-installed insulation that makes their homes more energy efficient.

“We hope that the recommendations in this report and our continuing work in this sector will encourage greater competition and choice and give consumers increased confidence to have insulation installed.”

Insulation giant Rockwool said: “We welcome the OFT’s report into the home insulation market. We think it is important for the industry to be scrutinised and to ensure that it is working in the best interest of consumers ahead of launch of the Green Deal in October.

“The success of the Green Deal will depend on consumer trust and confidence in the industry and Rockwool is determined to play its part by working with Government, consumers and the wider industry to make this happen.”

Latest news

New BAM leisure centre pool springs a leak

Contractor investigating "technical issues" delaying new £36m green leisure centre
1 hour ago

Former Keltbray managers jailed after corruption trial

Jail sentences following bribery probe on jobs including Battersea Power Station
18 hours ago

Green light for £150m West End office revamp

Shaftesbury Avenue office retrofit retains 75% of original building
7 hours ago

Lidl pumps £500m into store and logistics expansion

Discounter plans 40 new stores this year as expansion ramps up
7 hours ago

JJ Rhatigan UK profit jumps as turnover tops £150m

Irish contractor's expansion in England gathers pace
8 hours ago

Driverless digger to be used on Taylor Woodrow site

Autonomous excavator to work at Manchester Airport after successful trial
8 hours ago

MCS Build lands Basingstoke warehouse scheme

Construction starts this month after £26m funding deal
7 hours ago

Leeds United unveil stadium revamp design

Club has still to set a timeframe for staged Elland Road upgrade
16 hours ago

Bowmer & Kirkland boosts margins as profits surge to £69m

Revenue nudges up towards £1.3bn in year of expansion
1 day ago

Offshore construction starts on £4bn windfarm

Foundations for first of 95 turbines installed: Watch video
1 day ago

AECOM buys civils consultant Allen Gordon

Global giant acquires Scottish water and energy specialist
1 day ago

Plans in for £1bn Northern Gateway site in Manchester

Plan for 500-acre manufacturing and logistic park advance
1 day ago

RED wins £31m London Shoreditch student digs job

Two extra floors will be added to Willen House scheme
1 day ago

Deconstruct handed £12m Grenfell demolition

Firm maintaining building awarded job without bid race to speed process
1 day ago

Sizewell site workers get made to measure PPE

Bespoke fitting service on offer at new Bryson branch
1 day ago

Comment: Gateway is acting like a barricade

Contractors left banging their heads on an (unbuilt) brick wall
4 days ago

Final phase of £1.5bn Elephant and Castle revamp hits planning

Get Living submits revised plan for 500 homes and 450-bed student block
5 days ago

Ealing backs final phase of £1.3bn estate rebuild

Friary Park estate rebuild in Acton reaches end stage
4 days ago

Green light for scaled-down Nottingham student tower

Glasshouse Street scheme will deliver 247 student rooms
4 days ago

Aston Villa to revamp North Stand

Club to reuse existing structure rather than complete rebuild
5 days ago

Mace signs ex-ISG director to lead Euro health and tech push

Gary Sweeney to head up healthcare and life sciences consultancy arm
4 days ago

Sir Robert McAlpine claws way back into profit

Firm says return to profit and strong cash balance validates new strategy
5 days ago

Severfield to cut staff by 6% amid pricing pressure

Steelwork contractor warns of extended tighter pricing due to project delays
5 days ago

JRL completes sale of 50% stake to Malaysian giant IJM

Deal boosts balance sheet and kicks starts growth plan
5 days ago

Green light for £100m Liverpool Baltic station build

Enabling highway works to start in the autumn
6 days ago

First live tests for flying construction robots

Drones can lay construction materials at height on site
5 days ago

Three firms land £170m Gentoo Sunderland housing deal

PHS Solutions, Esh and RE:GEN to deliver 10-year home upgrade plan
6 days ago

Gateway gridlock hits build-to-rent delivery as starts nosedive

Build to rent starts plunge 18% in the capital
6 days ago

Call to shift Gateway 2 checks to end building bottleneck

"The current system isn't working but we all want to see safe buildings"
6 days ago

GBN launches £600m bid race for SMR engineer roles

Owner engineers to provide technical and assurance services
6 days ago

Contractor services