Hundreds of claims to be made for ‘mis-sold spray f...

A claims management company (CMC) is in the process of helping with more than 500 claims from homeowners to get refunds for inappropriately installed spray foam installation.

Hydrogard Legal Services, which helps recover money paid for mis-sold home improvements, said it is helping people on a no-win-no-fee basis who have had mortgage offers withdrawn and lost sales after surveyors spotted spray foam insulation.

Chris Brown, chief executive of Hydrogard Legal Solutions said homeowners thinking they have done the right thing by opting for spray foam insulation in the roof as it is often sold as saving more energy than traditional ways to insulate the home.

But surveyors and mortgage lenders are wary of it due to concerns about harmful fumes and cases of damp and humidity that can decay roof timbers if poorly installed.

Brown said “Spray foam insulation is the cancer of home improvements, currently we have more than 500 claims for homeowners who have been refused equity release or mortgages.

“We are working with a number of estate agents, helping homeowners go through the process, but also helping estate agents retain sales, but with the added benefit of a commission paid to them for every successful claim.”

The Residential Property Surveyors’ Association (RSPA) sparked controversy among valuers, spray foam installers and surveyors in 2021 after it issued guidance for its members to recommend the removal of spray foam insulation at every property they visit.

In a statement with the Property Care Association in December 2021, the RPSA said: “There may be as many as 250,000 homes with spray foam insulation in the loft, and the guidance being offered to their members is to adopt a highly cautious approach, recommending removal of the spray foam in almost every case.”

The guidance has since been retracted pending a full review after a group industry stakeholders, supported by the Insulation Manufacturers Association (IMA), started collaborating to standardise installation procedures and develop inspection protocols.

For Enquiries, please contact paul@hydrogardlegalservices.co.uk.