Ayrshire action group launched over UK Government "Green Deal" scheme

More than 80 people have joined an online group calling for action over the UK Government's Green Deal scheme.

The aim of the initiative is to allow homeowners to finance energy saving improvements for their houses.

It includes the installation of solar panels, double glazing, and insulation etc.

But some residents claim they were misled into signing up to the scheme by sales reps who visited their homes.

Isabel McNicoll from Kilmarnock is one of them and the woman behind the action group.

She says, "Fiancially, it's added £50 a month to my electricity bill which means there is really no saving for me at all.

"I was told if I signed up to this Green Deal then I would have reduced bills, it would put value on my house and it would all be free.

"That's not turned out to be the case for me. It turns out what I actually signed up for was a 23 year loan on my electricity metre."

Isabel has taken her campaign to Ayrshire MP Alan Brown who has promised to hold a public meeting in the New Year for all those who claim to be in a similar position.

He says, "I have previously had constituents contact me about this and it really is a bit of a horror show in terms of previous installations not being done correctly, effectively misselling and people being potentially thousands of pounds out of pocket.

"There is now an all party group set up at Westminster and I have joined this group.

"I'll use that to try and pressure the UK Government, who still have ultimate responsibility, to try and take more affirmative action."

A BEIS spokesperson said:

“Consumers who want to make a complaint should first approach their Green Deal provider. Where the provider is unable to resolve the complaint satisfactorily, the consumer may then approach either the Green Deal Ombudsman or the Financial Ombudsman Service."