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The IAA strengthens consumer protection with an increase in guarantee maxima for Solid Wall Insulation
The Installation Assurance Authority (The IAA), a technical authority and certification body in the retrofit sector, is pleased to announce, that following discussions with the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ), it is the only consumer protection provider to increase its guarantee maxima for Solid Wall Insulation guarantees issued under the ECO4 and GBIS schemes from £20,000 to £25,000, having already taken the initiative to increase the maxima on all guarantees issued after 01st September 2025 to £30,000.
The IAA is committed to providing householders with peace of mind and robust consumer protection, through its network of registered members.
The National Audit Office (NAO) published a report stating that “98% of homes with external wall insulation have major issues.” In comparison, The IAA’s failure rates have remained consistently around 12%.
The IAA find any failure in installation standards as unacceptable but recognise that failures do occur across the construction environment, however, it is how they are remedied that is critical to consumer confidence.
The IAA is currently the only certification body that mandates an end-to-end consumer protection approach – from pre-suitability assessments, product suitability, system design through to installation quality, consumer protection and aftercare support. That means The IAA do not just inspect work at the end of the process; but focus on ensuring the right decisions are made before work even begins.
IAA-registered installers are held to some of the highest technical and compliance standards within the retrofit sector.
The IAA’s team of Auditors and Quality and Compliance Inspectors undertake 100% assessments of pre-suitability requirements, we mandate system design standards, and we provide more than 100 technical best-practice guides to support installers and improve consistency across the industry.
Consumers also benefit from the reassurance that installations are backed by robust guarantees and legally binding protection. Should there ever be a failure in workmanship or design, The IAA will ensure the issue is resolved regardless of the trading status of the installer.
It is off the back of this high bar which The IAA’s certified installers work to, that The IAA can confidently increase its maxima to address the cases when things do go wrong and ensure no consumer is left to their detriment.
Nigel Donohue, CEO at The IAA, commented, “The IAA continues to work with installers who meet high standards and place consumer protection at the heart of everything we do, with one clear principle – getting installations ‘Right First Time’.”
There are many highly skilled, professional installers delivering work to consistently high standards every single day and these are the businesses that The IAA work closely with and actively support through its membership.
Unfortunately, the actions of some installers have had a significant impact on confidence across the wider supply chain. However, it is extremely important to recognise that this does not reflect the entire industry.
Nigel said, “At The IAA, we remain committed to going above and beyond to ensure the highest standards are upheld and consumers are protected. We recognise the challenges many householders continue to face, from rising energy costs to living in cold and inefficient homes. That is why we are passionate about helping consumers make informed decisions when improving the energy efficiency of their properties, with the confidence that they are choosing quality, trusted solutions.”
“As part of this commitment, we are retrospectively increasing our maxima for guarantees issued under the ECO4 and GBIS schemes for Solid Wall Insulation, providing even greater peace of mind for householders investing in their homes. We sincerely hope the other guarantee providers also consider increasing their maxima in order to provide consumers with greater peace of mind and we encourage them to do the right thing and step in where installers have failed to respond.”