Warning over ‘sharks’ in retrofit industry

Members of the West Midlands Combined Authority’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee discussed the region’s Regional Energy Strategy refresh at a meeting on Monday (September 2).

And, as part of the debate, discussed the need for millions of homes across the area needing retrofitting to help householders make their properties eco-friendly and help them save money.

Councillors said a programme of home improvements played a crucial part in the authority’s bid to achieve net zero by 2041.

But they also raised concerns about people being duped by shoddy workmen who ruin their properties instead of improving them.

Committee chairman Councillor Andrew Burrow: “For most people, this industry is full of sharks.

“You’ve still got people flogging stuff to spray on the inside of tiles on the roof which actually makes the property unmortgagable.

“When are we going to get approved suppliers that’s both for this is how you do it and these are people warranted by us, that we can recommend and direct owner occupiers who’ve got money to.

“We need that because the state is not going to retrofit 30 million houses. Is that part of our project?”

Councillor Ewan Mackey added: “There’s an awful lot of people who want to know how to retro fit their houses to be greener and save themselves some money but there is no real way of people accessing that.

“People are making money off the back of it without delivering the outcomes people want.”

And Councillor Cathy Bayton said: “We all acknowledge the benefit of retrofitting homes in winter and to keep cool in summer.

“We also know we have a huge challenge to do that across the housing stock across the West Midlands. Is there any kind of plan about how we are going to roll out the retrofit programme?

“If we are going to make a significant impact for residents across our region then retrofit has to be one of the key policies we make sure we are going to be able to deliver on in a timely manner.”

Laurie Duncan, WMCA energy research analyst, said: “That impartial advice role has been identified and is actually critical for enabling that wider market growth.”

He added: “Over the next six months we will be shaping what the strategic approach to retrofit look like, where should we be targeting first.”