Several months passed until one day Mrs Jennison watched a TV program which was about a Grade II listed property owner who had to pay for a new roof after they had received the same spray foam insulation as she had. .
“I went to an estate agent in Devizes. She said that this is strictly prohibited in the house. But it was too late.
“I became very worried and finally broke down. I had to remove it.”
Ms Jennison spent a further £2,500 to get rid of him, bringing her total spend on the shady industry to £7,500. She later received part of this amount back by filing a lawsuit.
Airtech Insulation ceased trading last Christmas after floating about £50,000 worth of assets a few months earlier, according to Companies House. It was registered in 2017.
“If you want this offer, you’ll have to sign up now.”
The same company approached 73-year-old Maureen Howson back in December 2021. She said a man called her and said they were in the area and could do a “survey” for her.
Ms Howson, a widow from Brighton, was told: “If you want this offer you will have to register now.” When asked what the alternatives were, they said she would have to build scaffolding around the house.
A widow paid £3,000 for meringue-like insulation, thinking she had struck a deal based on a man offering her £6,000 for the same service years earlier.
“He said I could get a cheaper deal because of my age. It seems they do this on purpose and see who bites. I’ve been living alone for the last four years. I didn’t have anyone at home with whom I could discuss these things.”
“Looking back, that’s a hell of a lot of money for a day’s work. That’s all they were here for.
A few months after the installation, another man called her and told her about the pitfalls associated with polyurethane foam. Further “examinations” were carried out which led the second man to conclude that it had been installed incorrectly and needed to be removed.
“This industry needs to be regulated.”
Claims firm Hydrogard Legal Services has been helping people like Ms Jennison and Ms Howson get their money back from foam installers since August 2022.
Chris Brown, a director at the firm, said homeowners with spray foam insulation were likely to be “sold” to the sharks.
He said 85% of his business involves retirees, including one customer who was sold spray foam at age 92.
Mr Brown said: “Homeowners are told they can save 50 per cent on their utility bills, but no one tells them they will have trouble finding a buyer or releasing equity.
“We know people who have spent over £15,000. One company in Devon claimed £76,000. Older and vulnerable customers tend to spend the most.
“When companies contact clients, they are told that they will carry out a survey of their property. Typically these companies do not employ surveyors. They hire sales people.”
Anyone who pays one of these companies with a debit card receives 120 days of protection under Visa’s chargeback policies. Those who use finance or credit are also subject to Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Law.
But those who pay in cash or through their bank are at the mercy of the company that sold the insulation to reimburse them.
Hydrogard has about 750 complaints against banks, credit card companies and foam companies.
Mr Brown said many spray foam insulation firms had now gone out of business due to banks’ unfavorable lending appetites, but many of the people behind those firms were now profiting from its cancellation.
The lawyer added: “This industry needs to be regulated. The installers do not follow their own certification instructions and continue to install it between the rafters. The police are not interested in this because it is not malicious damage.
“When the Financial Conduct Authority entered the prepaid funeral plans market, it destroyed those who were doing it wrong. We need something like this to happen here.”
“The company has disappeared”
Adrian Prince, 68, lives in Kenilworth. In March 2022, while he was not at home, his wife answered the door to a spray foam installer.
The man said he could do it the next day, which seemed abnormally fast to Mr. Prince. He recalled how a man claiming to be from Ideal Home Solutions behaved in his home the next day.
“He was lying on his back in one of our chairs. He said they were building another house around the corner and were very happy with what they had done. But he never said where this house is – now I would like to first ask and clarify with them.
“I think he was quite persistent and quite persistent about this period of time. I’ve been a buyer for most of my career, and that’s not how you act when you’re selling something.
“They are like asphalt salesmen. They enter an area and then bomb it. They even foamed on the wires on the roof.”