Here are my top ten tips to avoid being mis-sold

1. Be wary of cold callers who use phrases like “We have been allocated funding” or “We are carrying out free Energy Surveys in your area”. Funding means they want you to take out a loan. Free Energy Surveys means they want to send round a high-pressure salesman.

2. Watch adverts that pop up on your Facebook page for home improvements. These are usually call centre marketing campaigns. They use words like “funding” and “click

here to see if you qualify”. These are cleverly designed to make it sound like government grants are involved. They are not. They want to send round a salesman. They are trained to get you to sign up on the day.

3. Never make any decision on the day no matter what deal is offered. Make that clear at the start.

4. Ask if it’s a salesman or a surveyor you will be seeing. If they say surveyor, ask what qualifications they have. Companies in the renewable industry are not allowed to call their salesmen surveyors.

5. Research your installer. Ask how long they have been in business.

6. Ask who will be doing the installation. Is it their own workforce or do they sub-contract the work out.

7. Ask for details of work they have done in your area. Then contact them and see how the job went.

8. Check they have the proper accreditation and what trade associations they are members of.

9. Be wary of internet reviews. Many are false. Local word of mouth recommendations are the best reviews.

10. Don’t pay any money up front for technical surveys. Some companies will charge £300 and its non-refundable if you decide not to take up their offer.