DAD LEFT COLD BY DODGY SOLAR SCHEME
Frustration over house energy deal
A dad insists he will not be able to sell his home after being tied into a 22-year finance contract with a shamed green deal firm for ‘free’ solar panels.
Thomas Hendry says he was mis-sold a credit deal by liquidated company Home Energy & Lifestyle Management (HELMS).
A UK Government energy efficiency scheme was scrapped a month after the 56-year-old from East Kilbride signed up in 2015 due to fears scammers were hijacking it and ripping off householders.
Around 80 people are currently fighting their cases across South Lanarkshire.
And Thomas, who is already out of pocket to the tune of almost £1000, said: “If I was to sell my house now no one would buy it.”
An East Kilbride dad left in the lurch and unable to sell his home after claiming an energy scheme was mis-sold to him by a shamed green deal firm fears dozens of people in the town could have been hit in the pocket.
Thomas Hendry signed up to a 22-year finance agreement for “free” solar panels through a now scrapped UK Government scheme after being cold called by liquidated green deal company Home Energy & Lifestyle Management (HELMS) in 2015.
The 56-year-old says he had been mis-sold the credit deal which left him shelling out more for his electricity than before and tied him into a payment contract with his energy supplier for two decades.
The Green Deal was set up by the government to give special ‘loans’ or grants to cut energy bills and invest in renewable energy and was open to all.
But they pulled the plug in July 2015 – just one month after Thomas signed up – and launched an investigation into alleged scammers hijacking the scheme to rip-off households.
The News understands a handful of residents are known to have been affected in East Kilbride – but around 80 people are fighting their cases across South Lanarkshire.
Ex-cabbie Thomas, who suffers chronic pain and fatigue from an autoimmune disorder, said: “I was told the panels would save us a fortune and add value to your home as you’re supposed to get free electricity during the day.
“The company were so professional I didn’t realise at the time I’d been scammed and now I can’t get out of this contract even though HELMS went into liquidation.
“And it gets passed on to anyone you sell your house to so if I was to try and sell my house now no one would buy it. I’m lucky I was only paying £30 per month – some people have lost thousands of pounds.”
Cambuslang-based firm HELMS were fined £200,000 by the Information Commissioner’s Office for making more than six million nuisance calls.
They paid just £10,000 and called in liquidators KLM Chartered Accountants in March 2016.
The Department of Energy and Climate Change also fined HELMS £10,500 later that year.
The feed-in tariff from Thomas’s solar panels – money made by generating and exporting electricity – has been signed over to another firm, PV Solar Investments Ltd, who have the same director as HELMS.
The Green Deal Finance Company (GDFC), who acquired the loans, have stepped in to help people.
Hamilton Citizens Advice Bureau are currently dealing with 80 cases in and around South Lanarkshire.
But Thomas, from Brancumhall, believes many more could have been affected – especially the elderly and the vulnerable.
“It sounded like a good deal at the time but they told lies to get me to sign up,” he continued.
“Unfortunately, up until a couple of weeks ago, I didn’t realise this. It’s been a nightmare to deal with. I’m constantly being fobbed off.
“I’ve heard one elderly couple got out of it after their grandson fought for three years and others have had their payments reduced but I don’t know if I’ll ever get out of this.
“I’m in the process of getting gas to try and save money which is leaving me more out of pocket. Ideally I want my money back but that isn’t going to happen so I just want my payments stopped. I think this will take a long time.”
Local energy advice project caseworker at Hamilton Citizens Advice Bureau, Louise Hampson, said: “Any attention that can be brought to people that have been affected by HELMS would be most appreciated and anyone seeking advice should be signposted to their local CAB or to myself.”
East Kilbride MSP Linda Fabiani added: “I have dealt with a number of constituents who have raised concerns over the mis-selling of solar panels under the UK Government’s Green Deal scheme.
“Whilst HELMS have gone out of business, there is recourse for customers to submit a claim if they feel they have been mis-sold.”
The GDFC were contacted for comment.
I was told the panels would save us a fortune...
Did you sign up to the HELMS solar panel scheme? Call the newsdesk on (01698) 2015168 or email news@ eastkilbridenews.co.uk