The Cavity Insulation Guarantee Agency (CIGA) is launching a Consumer Champion scheme to help bolster its service to consumers.
CIGA was originally set up to protect consumers where a defect in either the workmanship or materials used during the installation of cavity wall insulation is identified. The appointment of a Consumer Champion is intended to help drive improvements to CIGA’s service and provide greater accountability.
Gerry Miller, chief executive of CIGA, said:
“Problems with cavity wall insulation are exceptionally rare, affecting only around two in every 1,000 installations. On the rare cases where something does go wrong however, it is CIGA’s responsibility to help consumers.
“We accept that there have been some cases where there have been unacceptable holdups in the process. We take ensuring that CIGA is best equipped to help homeowners and residents very seriously, so we are appointing a Consumer Champion, to hold CIGA and the industry to account and to improve the service that we provide to customers.”
The Consumer Champion will attend board meetings; provide mediation to resolve long-standing issues; publish statistics on CIGA’s consumer response time in the Annual Report; and will be awarded power to recommend disciplinary proceedings if CIGA member companies fail in their duty of care to consumers.
The initiative has gained support from Amber Rudd, parliamentary under secretary of state for energy and climate change, who said:
“I’ve been working closely with the industry to improve consumer protection. The appointment of an independent Consumer Champion at CIGA would be a big step forward for cavity wall insulation customers.”
Applications are currently being accepted until March 31 by the selection panel, which is searching for an independently minded figure with senior level experience in either business or public life. Interested applicants should email a CV and covering letter to consumerchampion@ciga.co.uk
CIGA expects to announce the successful candidate in May this year.
