Fri, 14 Feb 2025

Fri, 14 Feb 2025 'Mould, damp and decay': Homes excluded from insulation scandal help

Help to fix unsuitable insulation under government schemes only applies to work done since 2022.
Millions of homeowners who had government-funded insulation installed in their homes are at risk of being ignored by authorities as they try to fix problems with the work. The government has identified a "serious systemic" issue with insulation installed since 2022, but it may be too late for some homeowners. Under two government schemes, installers have been ordered to fix and pay for any problems found. However, this does not include hundreds of homes in County Durham where insulation was fitted under a different scheme in 2021. Margaret Chappell, a 93-year-old resident, says her home is being destroyed by damp, black mould, and crumbling plaster since the insulation was installed. She claims that she and other neighbors were ignored by authorities despite their pleas for help. The government has said it will keep other schemes under review but Mrs. Chappell feels that they are being "ignored" and treated as if they don't exist. Tolent, a company hired by Durham County Council to do the work on Mrs. Chappell's house, went bust before the installations were completed. The sub-contracted firm, Westdale North Ltd, is still working on issues that have arisen, but residents claim that it may be too late to save their homes. An audit by Trustmark found that in half of the 1,000 properties audited, the work had not been done to the required standard. Energy regulator Ofgem has written to 65,000 households with solid wall insulation since 2022 under two government schemes to establish how widespread the problems are. In Chilton, residents claim that they were misled by Durham County Council about the benefits of having solid wall insulation fitted in their homes. The work was supposed to make their homes warmer and lower their energy bills, but it has caused more harm than good. The cost of removing the unsuitable insulation could be tens of thousands of pounds per home, which may exceed the market value of each house. Residents are calling for someone to take responsibility for the damage and fix the problems as soon as possible.
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