The steps installers and accrediting bodies don’t want you to know about

By accepting an ECO4 grant, homeowners are unknowingly placing both their homes and health at possible risk. When things go wrong, the journey to justice is long, fragmented, and stacked against the individual.

This broken system was the catalyst that inspired us to create Nature Society — to fight for fairness, transparency, and accountability in retrofit.

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1. Navigating the ECO4 Maze

All homeowners considering a ECO4 grant should be aware of the fragmented maze of organisations, which can feel like a minefield should you need to tackle the complaints process:

2. Official ECO4 Complaints Process (per Ofgem)

Sadly, the official ECO4 complaints process is fraught with difficulty and often devoid of accountability:

Stage	What Ofgem Mandates	Real-World Failings
A. Contact the installer	Raise your complaint with the installer, or use the installation guarantee.	Installers often ignore emails, deny responsibility, or delay indefinitely.
B. Contact the guarantee provider	If applicable, contact the guarantee provider.	Providers frequently pass blame back to installers or stall progress. Critically, there are no ‘whole home’ guarantees and a systemic lack of ‘whole home’ knowledge. There is no guarantee that your heating costs will be lower following installation. And remediation is often capped and insufficient.
C. Contact the accrediting body / scheme provider	E.g. CIGA, GGF, Gas Safe Register, or TrustMark (if relevant).	Bodies often under-resource complaints, leaving homeowners waiting months for resolution. Installers ultimately pay fees to these bodies and carry significant influence. There is no independent body fighting on your behalf – a key reason Nature Society was created.
D. Citizens Advice	Citizens Advice can give independent consumer rights advice.	They have no enforcement powers; cases are logged but in reality, they have neither the funding nor the remit nor expertise. No real knowledge of ECO4 or PAS standards and so, the reality is that they can neither advise nor support.
E. Trading Standards	You may be directed to Trading Standards if mis-selling or fraud is suspected.	Access only through Citizens Advice, and action is rare in ECO4 cases. Again, funding has been cut dramatically for Trading Standards over recent years and this is no longer a realistic means of escalation.
F. Ombudsman referral	In theory, complaints can be escalated to an Ombudsman scheme (e.g. Dispute Resolution Ombudsman).	Access is inconsistent; referrals blocked or capped (usually at £10k). Payouts rarely above £3k and so suited to smaller claims only. If agreed blocks all further claims. Non-specialist, with limited knowledge about ECO4 / PAS Standards.

Ofgem’s role: Ofgem administers ECO4 but does not handle installation complaints. If you don’t know the name of your accrediting body, your installer, or the energy company funding works, you can email ECO.SAR@ofgem.gov.uk with proof of address to request details. Even if you obtain this information, you’re typically pushed back into the same ineffective complaint loop.

⚠️ Result: The official path looks like protection, but in practice it’s fragmented, weak, and stacked against homeowners.

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3. The Hidden Path to Escalation (What Actually Works)

Step 1 – Document everything (photos, notes, dates, times, correspondence).

Step 2 – Email the installer clearly setting out your complaint. Be factual, mention any vulnerabilities or urgencies applicable and set a clear deadline.

Step 3 – If ignored, send a concise reminder email and follow up with a phone call.
Side note – PAS standards determine that your heating must be more affordable than prior to the install.

Step 4 – If you don’t know the name of your accrediting body, your installer, or the energy company funding works, file a Subject Access Request (SAR) with ECO.SAR@ofgem.gov.uk (provide proof of address).

Step 5 – At the same time, Identify your PAS Coordinator (who will be TrustMark-registered).

Step 6 – Apply public pressure: reviews on Google, Trustpilot, MoneySavingExpert, TrustMark site, and social media.

Step 7 – File a complaint directly with the accrediting body and seperately with your PAS Coordinator. State:

“My MP is being notified, and if unresolved within 28 days, I will escalate to the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero.”

Step 8 – Notify your MP (and local council if your home is uninhabitable).

Step 9 – After 28 days, ask your MP to escalate your case to DESNZ (Department for Energy Security & Net Zero).

Step 10 – File SARs with both the installer and accreditor, so you have the full paper trail.

Step 11 – Escalate to the Parliamentary Ombudsman, citing systemic failure and risk to health.

Step 12a – Ask the accreditor to refer you to the Dispute Resolution Ombudsman (DRO). ⚠️ Note: capped at £10,000.

Step 12b – If your complaint is more substantial, first check if you have Legal Expenses Cover with your home or car insurance, or via your workplace (if applicable)

Step 13 – If DRO fails and your claim is < £10k, proceed to Small Claims Court, keeping your MP updated.

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4. Our Experience with ECO4 Complaints

We followed the “official” process. This is what really happened. We’d love to help you avoid this complexity, whilst working to highlight that no homeowner should have to go through such a process in pursuit of a heatable home.