Mon, 13 Oct 2025

Mon, 13 Oct 2025 Tens of thousands of homes fitted with botched eco insulation need fixing, watchdog says

Insulation programmes costing billions of pounds have led to widespread problems with damp and mould.
National Audit Office (NAO) finds that over 98% of homes with external wall insulation and nearly 30% of those with internal insulation installed under government scheme have problems that will lead to damp and mould if left unaddressed. Approximately 22,000-23,000 homes need remedial work for external wall insulation, while up to 13,000 properties require repairs for internal wall insulation. The NAO report identifies clear failures in the design of the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) scheme, including poor-quality installations and suspected fraud. An under-skilled workforce, businesses cutting corners, and uncertainty over which standards to apply are cited as reasons for substandard work. A small percentage of installations pose an immediate health and safety risk due to faults such as exposed live electrical cabling or blocked boiler ventilation. The NAO also criticizes TrustMark's oversight and auditing of the schemes, saying it allowed installers to "game" the system. Energy Consumer Minister Martin McCluskey assures that the government is taking action and that homes will be fixed at no cost to consumers.
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