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Department of Energy and Climate Change ad banned over false claims

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By Natalie Mortimer, N/A

August 27, 2014 | 3 min read

The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has had an advert for its energy saving scheme Green Deal banned after double glazing company Crystal Home Improvements complained to the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA).

The company raised 10 issues with the watchdog – six of which were upheld – including misleading claims over money saved via the scheme and costs involved with signing up and carrying out improvements.

The ad, which featured TV presenter Oliver Heath, ran both in print and on TV and included information about the Green Deal initiative as well as claims regarding the savings that could be made and property price increases following “green” home improvements.

DECC said the claim “My annual gas and electricity bills have dropped from £2,500 a year to £850 a year” was based on an interview in which Oliver Heath said his annual gas and electricity bill had reduced from £2,500 to £850.

The department admitted that he had since confirmed that the figures “were based on savings under his own eco-build initiative”, but that at the time of publication, they had no reason to believe that the claim was not an accurate reflection of what Oliver Heath had said.

In response to the claim that people who undertake ‘green’ home improvements can expect to see an average increase of 14 per cent on the value of their property, rising to 38 per cent in some areas, DECC said the figures came from a 2013 report it, commissioned, which was conducted by a team of academics.

The ASA ruled that consumers would interpret the claims to mean that there was evidence to show property prices under the Green Deal had increased by 14 per cent, and by 38 per cent in some areas, but that the evidence was not sufficient to substantiate the claim.

The watchdog added that because there was no reference to the possible Green Deal Assessment fee, it concluded the ad was misleading.

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