Beware! How Scams Are Undermining Energy Efficiency Efforts

The growing urgency of the climate crisis, combined with rising energy prices and government-backed funding schemes, has created a booming market for retrofit and energy upgrades. But as demand has soared, so too has the number of unscrupulous players in the sector. What should be a positive movement toward sustainability has become a magnet for scams, shortcuts, and poor quality work.

Far too many homeowners, landlords, and housing providers have learned the hard way that not all retrofit providers are created equal. We've seen it all: heat pumps installed in homes without proper insulation, cavity wall insulation that causes damp, or loft insulation that blocks essential ventilation pathways, all leading to poor performance or worse, damage to the building and health risks for residents.

These operators often offer flashy promises and fast fixes, preying on people’s good intentions or desire to access grant funding. Their work can be dangerously misleading: not only do these botched jobs fail to deliver savings or environmental benefits, they actively undermine public trust in the wider retrofit movement.

At AVARA, we’ve built our business on doing things right, even when that means taking the harder route. We believe transparency, accreditation, and accountability are non-negotiable which means working only with trusted installers, following best-practice design principles, and ensuring every project is properly assessed and executed.

Your retrofit provider should be on your side. Someone who walks you through the options, helps you avoid costly mistakes, and commits to long-term performance which is vital. When retrofits go wrong, the costs are financial, environmental, reputational, and deeply personal for the people affected.

Don’t let the push for net zero become a free-for-all. In a time when energy upgrades are more important than ever, choosing the right delivery partner is your best protection against disappointment or disaster. At AVARA, integrity is our infrastructure and we’re committed to raising the standard for the entire sector.