Company Prosecuted By Trading Standards

On the 23rd March, 2016 at Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates Court, Buildserv Insulation Limited was sentenced to a fine of £2,500, costs in the sum of £2095.49 and a victim surcharge in the sum of £120 for breaching the Unfair Trading Regulations 2008. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The prosecution was brought by the Trading Standards Service at Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council following a complaint received in relation to poor quality and unsafe building work that had been undertaken at a residential home in Twynyrodyn, Merthyr Tydfil. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The victim was an 80 year old woman who received a “cold call” from a male telling her she qualified for free External Wall Insulation via the Governments Green Deal Scheme. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Works were undertaken to the property to a very poor and dangerous standard. Overhead electrical cables were left to hang loose to the floor and on occasion children from a nearby school were seen pulling on it. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

An independent survey was commissioned by Trading Standards and the work was deemed to be of very poor quality whereby water could easily penetrate the property. Furthermore the exterior kitchen windows had been sealed shut caused by the external insulation sitting higher than the existing window sill. In the event of a fire, the means of escape was blocked. The kitchen door exterior lock was covered over by insulation so the key could not open the door from the outside. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Mark Lewis, the Trading Standards Investigating Officer, states, “We were obviously very concerned when initially visiting this lady, she was very worried about the safety of children passing her home due to the electric cable hanging loose. Our priority was to protect her and residents from danger. We started an immediate investigation and demonstrated to the Court that the standards of work carried out by Buildserv Insulation Ltd fell well below the Professional Diligence standards required by law. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

After we discussed the background of the contract with the homeowner it was obvious to us that the Green Deal scheme had been abused and that Buildserv had failed to comply with the requirements”. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

We are pleased with the outcome and warn residents never to engage with uninvited callers offering work. If residents are interested in home improvements, contact through friends and family for local trade’s people is recommended. If residents are interested in insulation, contact NEST the Welsh Governments advice line on 0808 808 2244 to discuss energy saving options. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

To report concerns regarding cold calling or rogue trader activity, contact Trading Standards on 0345 4040506. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​