INDUSTRYNEWS
OFT WELCOMES WEATHERSEAL’S
COMMITMENT TO IMPROVE ITS
BUSINESS PRACTICES
Following an OFT investigation, national double glazing company Weatherseal Home
Improvements Limited (Weatherseal) has agreed to make changes to its business
practices when selling energy efficiency and home improvement products.
Review of the sector published
in January 2013, which found
instances of poor practice towards
consumers such as the use of high
pressure sales techniques, unclear
information about paperwork
and cancellation rights, and poor
quality installations.
The investigation stemmed
from a wider OFT consumer
protection review of the energy
efficiency sector, following which
the OFT is working with local
Trading Standards Services and
other partners to drive better
practices by companies.
The OFT raised concerns with
Weatherseal about the conduct
of some of its self-employed sales
agents when selling to people in
their home.
‘This led to the OFT:
sending Advisory
letters to over 50 of
the leading installers’
CONSUMERS UNDER
PRESSURE....
For instance, some consumers
complained that they felt pressured
to make a purchase and that the
terms of credit used to purchase
products were not always clearly
explained. The OFT also had
concerns about the training
provided to sales agents to ensure
that they complied with consumer
law and about the handling
of customer complaints and
enquiries.
Weatherseal cooperated fully
with the OFT’s investigation.
Whilst the company said that
it had already made changes to
how it conducted its business
and that it believed its practices
complied with the law, following
consultation it has given assurances
about its future conduct, in
particular that it will:
• improve the training given
to its agents concerning sales
techniques and regulatory
compliance
• ensure that customers are clearly
informed of the terms of any
credit agreement they enter
into
10
MAR 2014
• provide customers with accurate
information about their
cancellation rights
• make a follow-up call to each
customer who has placed an
order to confirm that they
have been left with copies of
documents, understand what
they are agreeing to, and that
they still wish to proceed
• ensure that complaints and
enquiries are dealt with in
a timely, reasonable and
professional manner.
The OFT has also received
similar assurances from Window
Care Limited, a compa