Helping you avoid energy scams

It’s no surprise that with high energy prices, many people want to take action to improve their home’s energy efficiency and make it warmer. Unfortunately, scammers try to take advantage of people seeking help. Common scam tactics include online ads, emails, cold calling, or leaflets through doors.

 Scams may appear to be from a reputable organisation and mention legitimate grants, and you may feel pressurised to make a quick decision before the offer expires. We advise you to do your own research before you commit to any offers.

Figuring out which offers for energy efficiency products and incentives are real and which are scams can be difficult. Trading Standards Scotland’s website has lots of information about common scams, including energy scams, and lets you know where to turn for trusted advice.

Get trusted advice on reducing your bills

We’re funded by the Scottish Government and managed by Energy Saving Trust. All our advice is free, expert and impartial. We never cold call people and we don’t sell anything. 

If you want to make your home more energy efficient and reduce your energy bills, contact us for free and impartial advice to help you make the right choice.

If you’re struggling to pay your bills we will point you in the right direction for financial support.

Complete a Home Energy Check

A great starting point for managing your home’s energy use is to complete a Home Energy Check to see how efficient your home is now, how you can improve it, and how much money you’ll save by making improvements. You’ll get a free, personalised report with tailored recommendations. Saving energy reduces carbon emissions, so you’ll be helping to address climate change too.

Find legitimate funding

Whether it’s a new boiler, insulation or solar panels, you might be looking for funding to help cover the cost of making energy efficiency improvements. We can help you find funding, including grants and interest-free loans from the Scottish Government. We can chat through the funding option that’s right for your situation and guide you through the application process.

Some installation companies may advertise that they can help you find funding for specific energy improvements such as new boilers or insulation. Beware, they will go through the same process as you would (by speaking to an advisor or using our Funding Finder, for example), but their interest is in selling you their own products. All funding applications need to be completed by the applicant, not an installer acting on someone else’s behalf, so they can’t help you apply.

Help to find an approved installer

If you’re installing energy saving home improvements, the person or company doing the work is as important as the improvements you choose to make. We always recommend getting three quotes and checking if the installer is a member of any accreditation schemes or trade associations, and asking what guarantees they provide for the quality of their work.

If you’re looking for someone to install low carbon technologies like a heat pump or solar panels, check out Energy Saving Trust’s Renewables Installer Finder. If you’re looking for a local trader, find one that’s approved by Trading Standards Scotland by visiting trustedtrader.scot.

Contact us first

We’re here to help you make the right decision. Before you start any home improvements, read our guide on ways to make your home warmer or contact us.

What to do if you think you’ve been scammed

If you’re in Scotland, you can report scams to Advice Direct Scotland. Anyone who has been the victim of fraud should report it to Police Scotland on 101, or 999 in an emergency.