Firm tries turning on the heat, but we help snatch back £2,000

MS L.R. writes: After several unsolicited calls, my parents were under the impression British Gas would be calling to provide advice on how to save on their energy bills. In fact they were visited by a salesman from National Heating Solutions Limited. He was in their home for three hours, selling a new heating system costing £10,000. Dad is not in good health and had to lie down, but the salesman told Mum that if a £2,000 deposit was not paid that day, the price would rise to £15,000, so she should disturb Dad to get his bank debit card. When I returned home from work, we discussed the pros and cons and they decided to cancel the order the next day. Now the firm’s contact number goes straight to voicemail and no one calls back.

WHAT you describe is like the worst of old-fashioned foot-inthe-door sales tactics. Your parents are in their 70s, and you calculated that any savings from a new heating system would bring no benefit in their lifetime, which is why they tried to cancel the order.

National Heating Solutions says it operates a 28-day refund policy, but no refund arrived, your emails were ignored, and calls were not returned.

So you contacted me, and I contacted the company’s sole director, John Rowan, 51, who lives in Glasgow.

He said he was ‘not happy’ with what you told me. He added: ‘We regret that most of the information is wholly inaccurate, and we would not give our permission to publish such false and misleading information. We are currently collating our evidence against the claims.’

The matter was in the hands of his lawyers, he told me.

I replied, saying I looked forward to hearing from his lawyers. But when neither they nor Rowan offered any further comment, I politely explained that I did not need any permission from him to go ahead and publish. Equally politely, I also told him I knew all about his previous company, JR Marketing Limited, which operated a telephone call centre.

This company failed to pay bills and did not file accounts legally due. The taxman won a court order to shut the business, and Rowan then failed to hand over the firm’s books and records to the liquidator.

He was also unable to deliver a statement of affairs about its finances and debts. JR Marketing was dissolved two weeks ago.

Surprise, surprise, rather than comment further, Rowan has now wound up National Heating Solutions. It is too soon for the liquidator to produce details of its debts but Rowan has told Companies House it cannot pay its bills.

The good news though is that after getting in touch with me you contacted Trading Standards and your father’s bank, Lloyds, which managed to snatch back the £2,000.

Officially, the bank has waited to see whether Rowan might lodge a protest. But with his company now bust, I think it is safe to say Lloyds has come to the rescue and your father’s money is secure.