Elmhurst Calls for Simpler, Smarter Consumer Protection Reform within Retrofit

As the government’s consultation on reforming consumer protection for home upgrade schemes closes today, Elmhurst is calling for a simpler, smarter system built around competent professionals, accurate property assessments and clear accountability.

Responding on behalf of its members, Elmhurst has backed stronger protections while warning that consumer protection reform must simplify the existing landscape rather than add further layers of complexity.

The consultation follows serious concerns about work delivered through government-supported home upgrade schemes, including inconsistent quality, fragmented consumer protection and complicated routes to remediation.

These challenges are not new. Many were identified almost a decade ago in the landmark Each Home Counts review. Although PAS 2035 and stronger quality frameworks have brought significant progress, Elmhurst believes accountability can still be improved without duplicating existing systems.

Backing Consumer Protection Reform, and Getting the Detail Right

Elmhurst agrees with the government’s assessment that the existing landscape can be confusing for both consumers and industry participants. Multiple standards, certification requirements and oversight arrangements can make accountability unclear and create inconsistency across schemes.

Elmhurst has backed several key proposals:

• A single consumer protection service for government-supported retrofit schemes
• A clearer route to advice, complaints and redress
• Stronger competence frameworks
• Improved data sharing
• More consistent oversight and enforcement
• Intelligence-led auditing and quality assurance

However, we believe the success of the reforms will ultimately depend on how they are implemented in practice and whether they simplify, rather than further complicate, the existing landscape.

Putting Consumers and Properties First

Effective consumer protection starts long before a complaint is ever made.

It starts with an accurate assessment of the property.

Retrofit assessment should sit at the beginning of the customer journey, establishing a comprehensive understanding of the building before measures are recommended. Decisions should reflect the needs and characteristics of the property, rather than being shaped solely by available funding or scheme requirements.

Elmhurst also supports the proposal for a single point of contact for consumers seeking advice, support, remediation or redress. Simplifying the customer journey and creating clearer lines of accountability should help improve confidence in home energy upgrades and make it easier for consumers to access help when it is needed.

Smarter (Not More) Oversight

While we fully support stronger consumer protection, Elmhurst believes the proposed consumer protection reforms must remain balanced.

In our response, we have highlighted the importance of avoiding unnecessary duplication between DESNZ, the proposed Warm Homes Agency, certification bodies and other organisations already operating within the retrofit space. Different professionals have different responsibilities and levels of influence over project outcomes, and any new framework should reflect this.

Elmhurst supports greater use of data and risk-based auditing to improve oversight and identify issues earlier. However, any performance monitoring must be based on accurate information, properly contextualised and linked to the correct stage of the retrofit process.

We also recognise that increased auditing, oversight and compliance requirements will inevitably bring additional costs. Greater digital integration, improved data sharing and streamlined compliance processes will therefore be essential to ensure higher standards do not come at the expense of an unnecessary administrative burden.

Elmhurst has submitted its full response to DESNZ on behalf of its members, which can be downloaded below. Members can also submit their own response to the consultation before it closes at the end of today (10th September 2026) via the government consultation page.

As the government considers its next steps, Elmhurst will continue to make the case for a proportionate system that protects consumers, supports competent professionals and delivers better retrofit outcomes.