WIREDGOV

Following an OFT investigation, national double glazing company Weatherseal Home Improvements Limited (Weatherseal) has agreed to make changes to its business practices when selling energy efficiency and home improvement products.

The investigation stemmed from a wider OFT consumer protection review of the energy efficiency sector, following which the OFT is working with local Trading Standards Services and other partners to drive better practices by companies.

The OFT raised concerns with Weatherseal about the conduct of some of its self-employed sales agents when selling to people in their home. For instance, some consumers complained that they felt pressured to make a purchase and that the terms of credit used to purchase products were not always clearly explained. The OFT also had concerns about the training provided to sales agents to ensure that they complied with consumer law and about the handling of customer complaints and enquiries.

Weatherseal cooperated fully with the OFT's investigation. Whilst the company said that it had already made changes to how it conducted its business and that it believed its practices complied with the law, following consultation it has given assurances about its future conduct, in particular that it will:

• improve the training given to its agents concerning sales techniques and regulatory compliance 
• ensure that customers are clearly informed of the terms of any credit agreement they enter into
• provide customers with accurate information about their cancellation rights 
• make a follow-up call to each customer who has placed an order to confirm that they have been left with copies of documents, understand what they are agreeing to, and that they still wish to proceed
• ensure that complaints and enquiries are dealt with in a timely, reasonable and professional manner.

The OFT has also received similar assurances from Window Care Limited, a company that provides training, compliance and customer service functions on behalf of Weatherseal.

The OFT was assisted in its investigation by a number of Trading Standards Services including Trading Standards Scotland and Cheshire West and Chester Trading Standards Service.

Nisha Arora, Senior Director of the OFT's Services, Infrastructure and Public Markets Group, said:

'We welcome the changes made by Weatherseal and Window Care to address our concerns. Energy efficiency products such as double glazing can offer major benefits to consumers through lower energy bills and warmer homes, but it is important that people are able to make informed purchases with confidence. Businesses need to make sure anyone acting on their behalf or in their name, including self-employed sales agents or contractors, are properly trained and comply with the law.

'This action is part of a wider drive by the OFT and its partners to raise standards across the energy efficiency sector so that instances of poor sales practices do not undermine consumer confidence and the growth of this sector.'

NOTES

1. Weatherseal Home Improvements Limited advertises itself as 'one of the UK's leading home improvement companies'. It sells a range of energy efficiency and home improvement products including double glazed windows, doors and conservatories.
2. See the case closure summary for this investigation, including copies of the assurances given by Weatherseal Home Improvements Limited and Window Care Limited.
3. The assurances were voluntarily given by each party following consultation under Part 8 of the Enterprise Act 2002, without any admission of any breach of consumer protection law. The assurances provided relate to alleged breaches of the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 and the Cancellation of Contracts made in a Consumer's Home or Place of Work etc. Regulations 2008.
4. The OFT's investigation forms part of a wider programme of work into the domestic Energy Efficiency sector, announced in its 2012/13 Annual Plan. This included a Consumer Protection Review of the sector published in January 2013, which found instances of poor practice towards consumers such as the use of high pressure sales techniques, unclear information about paperwork and cancellation rights, and poor quality installations. This led to the OFT: sending Advisory letters to over 50 of the leading installers of double glazing, insulation and solar panels, asking them to ensure that they were providing consistently good standards to consumers; publishing compliance guidance for businesses in the sector; and publishing guidance for consumers purchasing energy efficiency products. The OFT has been working with fellow enforcers, regulators, government, industry and consumer groups to promote a consistent level of good business practice.
5. The OFT currently has 16 consumer enforcement cases open.
6. In April 2014, the Competition and Markets Authority (the CMA) will become the UK's lead competition and consumer body. The CMA will bring together the existing competition and certain consumer protection functions of the Office of Fair Trading and the responsibilities of the Competition Commission, as amended by the Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Act 2013. The CMA, which is a non-Ministerial government department, was established on 1 October 2013 but will not be taking on responsibility for cases or other work until 1 April. See the CMA's home page for more information.