Had cold callers several times - saying this was a free installation. Next door neighbour had it done - haven't discussed it with them but unlikely they would pay for it!!! Saw a Martin Lewis email, saying British Gas were doing it free, with no conditions (benefits, etc) to qualify. So arranged for a survey which was suppose to be carried out yesterday.
Woman from BG turned up and said she would have to drill several holes in the walls to check that no insulation already existed in the cavities, and that the construction was suitable. My explanation that it is a semi and that the adjoining house had already been done recently, and that I knew for certain that my house did not have wall insulation was brushed aside. She said that some houses were insulated during build, whilst others were not. I pointed out that they would not insulate only one half of a pair of semis - but still no joy.
She then said that, as we had a flat roof sun lounge, with walls that were not brick, scaffold could not be erected over the sun lounge. Neighbour has a similar sun lounge, but they worked on his roof. I indicated that my sun lounge roof was load bearing - workmen used it to reach the fitting of new facias, soffits and drain gutters. Still no joy - she said that drilling in the upper rear walls would have to be from the inside, and the radiators in those rooms would have to be removed.
At that point I stopped her right there - no way was this going to happen. I then said that, based on estimates for similar houses, my energy supplier (E.on) showed my energy consumption to be GOOD. I showed her the written facts, but she did not appear to understand how this assessment was derived.
So, because of bad experiences with British Gas at our previous house (we left there in 1985) I have always had a principle not to deal with BG, or to allow them onto my premises. Yesterday's experience has confirmed to me that my principles are right, and still as valid today.
If any cold callers arrive in the future, trying to push cavity wall insulation, they'll get short shrift from me if they cannot walk away from a simple "no thank you".
Woman from BG turned up and said she would have to drill several holes in the walls to check that no insulation already existed in the cavities, and that the construction was suitable. My explanation that it is a semi and that the adjoining house had already been done recently, and that I knew for certain that my house did not have wall insulation was brushed aside. She said that some houses were insulated during build, whilst others were not. I pointed out that they would not insulate only one half of a pair of semis - but still no joy.
She then said that, as we had a flat roof sun lounge, with walls that were not brick, scaffold could not be erected over the sun lounge. Neighbour has a similar sun lounge, but they worked on his roof. I indicated that my sun lounge roof was load bearing - workmen used it to reach the fitting of new facias, soffits and drain gutters. Still no joy - she said that drilling in the upper rear walls would have to be from the inside, and the radiators in those rooms would have to be removed.
At that point I stopped her right there - no way was this going to happen. I then said that, based on estimates for similar houses, my energy supplier (E.on) showed my energy consumption to be GOOD. I showed her the written facts, but she did not appear to understand how this assessment was derived.
So, because of bad experiences with British Gas at our previous house (we left there in 1985) I have always had a principle not to deal with BG, or to allow them onto my premises. Yesterday's experience has confirmed to me that my principles are right, and still as valid today.
If any cold callers arrive in the future, trying to push cavity wall insulation, they'll get short shrift from me if they cannot walk away from a simple "no thank you".