Powys couple say government energy scheme ruined their home

Simon Gibbs and Kerry Bradford-Gibbs applied to have energy efficiency measures installed in their home through the government's ECO4 Flex Scheme scheme.

Simon had suffered a severe angina attack, followed by two heart attacks, making him eligible for the scheme.

But they now say the work, carried out by an approved contractor on the scheme, Sprint Renewables, which has a 100 per cent approval rating with administrator Warm Wales, has dragged out for months longer than expected, leaving their home and their business in turmoil.

“This was all done to make my life easier, I am registered as disabled,” said Mr Gibbs. “Luckily I have my wits about me to turn around and see something is wrong.

"We have tried to be reasonable, but I think it needs to be brought to the public’s attention.”

Among the issues they have faced has been large gaps between the plasterboard and the walls, an incorrect solar battery being installed that was never connected to the mains, and some work left incomplete.

Most significantly, they also say attempts to install solar panels meant multiple holes were drilled in the roof, which is now letting rainwater through, with tiles becoming dislodged.

“I’ve got to have a replacement shoulder and a replacement knee,” said Simon. “The problem I have got is that they want to do an operation now and I have been putting that off because of the house.

“I am in constant pain. Our son came up for my birthday and he was horrified.”

Most of their possessions are now in storage at Kerry’s office, limiting the work she can do and severely hitting her income.

“It’s a nightmare, you can’t do anything, you can’t sleep,” she said.

“You can’t get stuff back from the unit because we have nowhere to put it at the moment and we can’t decorate the house because we have to wait for the work.”

The wait is now eating into the couple's retirement savings – half of which have already disappeared.

“Kerry took out a bounce-back loan to keep the business running during Covid, now she’s having to pay that with no income,” said Simon.

“Ordinarily we would be able to pay it back but we're having to dip into our savings.

“I’m due to retire at 55 with my private pension and my health but we’ve spent about half of our savings Kerry hasn’t paid herself in two months.”

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Sprint Renewables agreed to remove the solar panels, but has not agreed to remediate the roof damage. Sprint did not respond to the County Times' attempts to reach them for a comment.

Jonathan Cosson, chief executive of Warm Wales which runs the scheme for Powys County Council, said the contractor had “100 per cent satisfaction” and that all contractors are fully accredited.

“Warm Wales and Powys County Council have tried to guide the customer by offering them the appropriate and correct route and process to register their complaint to,” said Mr Cosson.

“If a complaint can't be resolved, then the customer is referred to the relevant consumer code and protection body, in this case, The Home Insulation & Energy Systems Quality Assured Contractors Scheme.

“Should such investigations find in the favour of the customer then the installer must remedy the faults within a certain timescale as dictated by the investigating body with any compensation claim judged on its own merits.

“Should a company not remedy poor workmanship after any findings against them, they would be prevented from operating under the ECO4 Flex Scheme by us.”