Messages for Wednesfield Residents On Heating

Residents are being urged not to sign up for new heating systems in a panic due to the current cold weather.

Wolverhampton City Council’s Trading Standards team has received calls from concerned people across the city that have been visited by door to door sales people offering them a range of home warmth measures including insulation and new boilers.To support this, callers might tell residents that they are eligible for a grant via the new Energy Company Obligation, Home Heating Carbon Reduction Target (HHCRO).This has been set up to help provide affordable warmth to vulnerable households and there is an expected increase in the volume of cold calls house holders will receive.
But trading standards officers are now advising residents not to be pressured into signing contracts on the spot and to consider all options available to them.Residents can always ask for details on the goods offered and then discuss with friends & family before making a decision. Eligibility for a grant relating to the scheme is unlikely to require a decision on the spot.Councillor John Reynolds, Wolverhampton City Council’s Cabinet Member for City Services, said: “Even though it’s March, and officially the second day of spring, this sudden cold spell might tempt people to look at more efficient ways of reducing heating bills.“But we are strongly advising people not to feel pressured or obliged to sign contracts that are put to them on their doorsteps."There is no suggestion, at this stage, that the door to door sales people are not genuine. But we want people to be fully informed and not commit themselves to a deal when there could be better offers available to them.” If people do sign up for goods, they should check the paperwork details to establish what exactly they have been contracted for. They should also ensure they have contact numbers and a full business address so future contact can be made with the company. Residents should always check the callers identity, and if in doubt don’t let them in.
Currently there are a number of companies cold calling offering a range of grants associated with the Green Deal. For further advice on the current situation regarding eligibility, people should contact City Direct on 01902 551155 or the Energy Savings Advice Service on 0300 123 1234. Wolverhampton City Council has also just signed up to the Big Community Switch – a ground breaking scheme that could result in substantially lower gas and electric bills for residents.

Registering can be done online at www.wolverhampton.gov.uk/energyswitch or over the phone at 01902 553456.






Wolverhampton City Council - Wolverhampton's Big Community Switch
www.wolverhampton.gov.uk
You can register for cheaper energy bills with Wolverhampton's Big Community Switch