Elderly Wairarapa couple warn of insulation rort

TARGETED: Raymond and Rosalind New looking at the CSC endorsed Gold Card that enabled them to have their home insulated for free.

A Masterton couple have warned fellow pensioners to beware after being quoted thousands for home insulation that should have been free.

Raymond New, 85, and Rosalind New, 77, said they were visited by a sales representative working for Kensair, a Palmerston North insulation and ventilation company, in October, and despite being eligible for free insulation under a Government-funded Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA) scheme, the Warm Up New Zealand: Healthy Homes programme, were given a quote for insulation that would cost them almost $6000.

They were persuaded, during the visit, to write a cheque for a $435 deposit. And they say they know of others convinced to sign up, one of which was an 80-year-old pensioner, living alone.

The Times-Age obtained the News' quote. Their quote is dated June 31, 2013, before the free scheme, which began in September. It has a date of customer acceptance, October 31. The News' chequebook shows their deposit cheque was written on October 30, 2013, and the couple say they had never met, or spoken, to the man prior to that date.

Mr New said he asked the man if the couple could get free insulation and was told they could not. "He said you couldn't get it free any longer, he said they're [the Government's] not doing it anymore.

"I believed him."

Mr New wants other elderly people to be aware they could be next. "I want to warn the poor, old pensioners, some haven't got much money, that he's going round ripping them off, it's not fair."

After finding out from a friend, whose home was insulated for free, that they were eligible Mrs New cancelled the cheque. "My friend said she got hers for free, if I hadn't had spoken to her I would never had known." The couple have since received free insulation through EnergySmart Wairarapa, funded by EECA.

Kensair also receive funding through EECA and are listed as a service provider for insulation through the Healthy Homes programme. Kensair director Brent Thomas said the News' quote had been done by an independent contractor, not a staff member.

"As to the date on the quote, the contractor has definitely made a mistake.

"I have two other quotes for jobs done at the same time as the one in question and those quotes are both dated 31 October ... for some reason the contractor has definitely made a mistake with the date on that quote.

"He's also made a mistake when he's spoken to the client. But there was no intention to deceive."

Mr Thomas said he had spoken with the contractor, who was unable to give him a good reason for the "muck-ups" and had sent the News a $200 grocery voucher as a goodwill gesture.

"We are very sorry that these mistakes were made and we've put in place systems to make sure it doesn't happen again.

"Our contractor has processed a number of Healthy Homes jobs in Masterton, which are fully subsidised, at no cost to the home owner, the most recent being on Monday this week.

"He's a good guy but he just got it terribly wrong on this occasion and he's a bit upset about the trouble he's caused."

EECA residential project manager Jenny Lackey said EECA were also looking into the incident. "The elderly couple have said they were told free insulation was not available in the Wairarapa. In this case it appears the quote was issued before the launch of ... Healthy Homes in the Wairarapa but this will be investigated further."

Ms Lackey said although there was no legal requirement for insulation companies to alert households about the free funding, or any other offers that might be available to them from other providers, EECA's position was that companies should tell their customers about what funding could be available in their area.

EnergySmart Wairarapa Healthy Homes manager Lyn Tankersley said about 8000 homes had been insulated by the company, since the first Healthy Homes project began, but that there were many more homes needing insulation. She said Wairarapa people needed to be aware those who qualified could get their home insulated for free. "The Government has set up this project to help low-income people in our community ..."