In 27% of cases, surveyors who had checked the properties recommended major work such as replacing the insulation or re-roofing the property.
The findings emerged from a survey carried out by national trade body the Property Care Association (PCA), which has now joined forces with consumer group the HomeOwners Alliance to reiterate calls for action from the government in a second letter to ministers.
Not only can spray foam, if incorrectly applied, cause damage to a homeowner’s property, it can also prevent them from selling unless they pay to have the foam removed, as most lenders will refuse to offer a mortgage. In the case of equity release, no lenders will lend against a property with spray foam.
Grants for spray foam
Paula Higgins, chief executive of the HomeOwners Alliance, said that in many cases, homeowners were encouraged by government grants to install the product.
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She said: “At the moment, it’s not known how many of the properties referred to in the survey had spray foam installed with support of government grants. We will support the PCA and Trustmark to identify these properties and continue to press government for recourse to be available to them.
“In the meantime, our concern is that people are being targeted by cold callers offering to remove spray foam insulation. It is likely that they have acquired details illegally and we urge householders not to engage with them and report the situation to their local trading standards office with concerns.”
In the UK, around 250,000 homes have spray foam insulation, which, if incorrectly installed, can lead to condensation build-up, potentially causing timber rot or decay, mould and mildew growth or rust and corrosion to metal components.
Sarah Garry, chief executive at the PCA, said: “We are calling on the government to step in and help homeowners who find themselves in a position where they are stuck and unable to sell, are unable to access equity release products, are faced with hefty remediation bills for removal or are being targeted by unscrupulous spray foam removal firms. Many of these homeowners are elderly and vulnerable and the reality is that the situation is getting worse, not better.”
