‘Spray foam insulation ruined the sale of our home’

Homeowners say they feel “betrayed” and “betrayed” after struggling to sell their properties because of spray foam insulation installed under a government scheme.

After this more than 160 people contacted BBC research finds a quarter of Britain’s biggest lenders Those homes where spray foam is found in the ceiling space are prohibited.

Robbie Anderson told the BBC he felt “taken advantage of” after the sale of his home fell short despite having insulation installed under the previous government’s Green Homes Grant scheme.

Liberal Democrat MP Tom Gordon has written to the Energy Secretary calling for “decisive action”, while the Department for Housing said it was consulting with lenders.

It is estimated that around 250,000 homes in the UK have this type of insulation, the majority of which were installed under the previous government’s official scheme.

The Green Homes Grant scheme, which ran in England, fully subsidized certain for-profit establishments.

But some of the UK’s largest mortgage companies are reluctant to deal with homes with spray foam insulation because of the risk of poor fitting trapping moisture and rotting the roof timbers.

Industry experts have given this information to BBC Spray foam is an effective insulator if fitted properly, and immediate action is needed to prevent nervous homeowners from turning to “cowboy” removal companies unnecessarily.

Robbie, 38, had the spray foam installed with the full £5,733 cost covered by the Green Homes Grant scheme in 2021 as he was eligible for certain benefits at the time.

He and his wife hoped to move to a larger house in Nottingham, closer to potential secondary schools for their younger daughter.

When they put their home on the market this summer, they quickly received an offer at over the asking price. But Roby said he was “surprised” when the buyers’ lenders rejected the property and he pulled out of the purchase.

The work was carried out by a Trustmark-approved installer and Robbie was provided with documentation including a British Board of Agreement (BBA) product certificate.

But potential buyers’ mortgage provider said it required at least a 10-year insurance-backed installation warranty, whereas Roby has a warranty with the industry standard of two years.

He told the BBC that he felt “a bit betrayed” and was confused about what to do next, as he had 12 months left on his existing loan.

The couple are planning to remove the insulation themselves, which is said to cost £4,000.

“I don’t think it’s fair that we have to pay to have it removed,” Roby said.

“(The government) has to take accountability for this… given that they paid for something they thought was a good thing.”

Spray foam insulation has been used for decades to stop heat from escaping through roofs, lofts and attics and comes in two forms.

closed cell spray foam Once set it hardens. It is a superior thermal insulator and was previously sold to stabilize damaged roofs. But if it’s used improperly or installed poorly, it can put stress on the woods, restricting air circulation and putting them at risk of rotting.

open cell spray foam Once set it remains soft and is used only for insulation. It is more breathable, but is often installed where a highly resistant lining such as bitumen is already present, which prevents vapors from escaping.

Geoff Hunt, an independent chartered building surveyor, said open cell spray foam had gained popularity in recent years due to government initiative.

But he said mortgage lenders struggle to assess spray foam, leading to “caution and refusal on high-risk applications,” for example, where it has been applied directly to roof tiles.

Open cell foam properly installed on a reinforced roof has not been conclusively linked to roof decay, he said, emphasizing that it is important for homeowners with this type of insulation not to panic. .

Philippa, from Wiltshire, also had open cell spray foam installed in her loft in 2021, the £8,662 cost of which was covered by the Green Homes Grant scheme.

She recently accepted an offer from first-time buyers on her property, but said Nationwide wouldn’t lend to them without additional paperwork on insulation.

She said this left her buyers “terrified” and they walked out before they had the chance to provide additional documentation.

Nationwide told the BBC it was “unable to make a final loan decision” without documentary evidence that the spray foam was installed correctly or a report on the structural integrity of the roof.

Philippa said she couldn’t afford to remove the insulation and lowered her asking price to cover the prospective buyer’s cost.

“I feel like the government has betrayed me,” he said. He said he doesn’t think spray foam insulation should be available for sale until there is a better understanding of the product.

While the Green Homes Grant scheme closed in 2021, spray foam insulation is still available under the Great British Insulation Scheme as the government looks to improve the energy efficiency of homes and move towards its 2030 “net zero” target.

Rico Wojtulewicz, policy chief for the National Federation of Builders, said he has been trying to raise awareness about the potential issues with spray foam insulation for years.

“The government may see spray foam as an easy solution, but an unaffordable, unhealthy or damaged home is a worse outcome than requiring more retrofitting considerations or more expensive heating,” he said.

He is calling on the government to work with installation companies.

It comes as Liberal Democrat MP Tom Gordon has written to Energy Secretary Ed Miliband calling for “decisive action” and “support” for homeowners facing financial consequences.

Mr Gordon said he and a number of MPs in his party were prompted to take action after being contacted by constituents facing unexpected costs, the letter said.

“This government should do more to support them,” it said.

The Department of Housing told the BBC that it had “consulted with lenders” on spray foam insulation, and that it would “rely on the views of valuers and surveyors on this issue”.

It says any measures carried out under government schemes must be carried out by Trustmark-registered installers and to the highest standards, with any issues being rectified immediately.

For homes where spray foam insulation is already in place, Homeowners Coalition Recommends,

• Checking that you have all relevant documentation including product certificates, installer warranty, before and after photos, a survey report and product warranty.
• Contact the installer or manufacturer to see if you can get a free “health check”
• Consider an independent assessment by a qualified spray foam surveyor

Currently, it is not recommended to install spray foam until the issues with lenders and rogue traders are resolved.