A renewable energy company claiming to be certified under the Microgeneration Certification Scheme when it was not was today fined £1515 plus £80 court costs at Downpatrick Magistrates’ Court.
In a case brought by the Trading Standards Service of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, The Greenhouse N.I Renewable Energy Systems Ltd pleaded guilty to five offences under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 (CPRs).
This investigation arose by way of a consumer complaint to the Trading Standards Service. The complainant was informed during a visit from the company that if she purchased a biomass boiler and had it installed she would receive a Renewable Heat Premium Payment (RHPP) of £2500 from the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment’s Energy division.
The complainant later discovered that she would not be eligible for an RHPP as The Greenhouse N.I Renewable Energy Systems Ltd was not a Microgeneration Certification Scheme (MCS) certificated installer company (one of the terms and conditions of the RHPP scheme was the use of MCS certificated installer companies).
Between the period January and July 2013, TSS received four more similar complaints from consumers.
The Greenhouse N.I Renewable Energy Systems Ltd later gained MCS certification in April 2013, however, this was after installations had been carried out at the homes of the five complainants.
Nicola Craig, Trading Standards Inspector said: “It is the view of the Trading Standards Service that the company engaged in unfair commercial practices by telling five customers that they would receive a government grant, when in fact they would not be eligible to do so as the company was not MCS certificated at the time of the installations.
“This shows the importance of making sure that renewable energy businesses are fully conversant with the rules of any grant scheme. It is fair to say that The Greenhouse N.I Renewable Energy Systems Ltd were presumptuous in this case which led to all five complainants suffering a substantial financial loss, as a result of the company’s misleading representations.”
Nicola Craig continued: “However since the case has come to court The Greenhouse N.I Renewable Energy Systems Ltd has taken steps to negate the financial loss to the five consumers. DETI’s Energy branch has also sought to include the five complainants in a renewable energy grant scheme which should hopefully minimise their loss.”
If you have a consumer complaint you should contact Consumerline on 0300 123 6262 or log onto:
xa0http://www.consumerline.org
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