MCS has removed Hero Renewables Limited (company number 08635152) from the MCS scheme following breaches of its standards, the certification body said on 10 February 20221. The company had been suspended from the scheme on 16 December 2021 and was given until 31 January 2022 to provide a comprehensive improvement plan1.
MCS said it acted after receiving numerous complaints about Hero Renewables, and that its Compliance Team investigated several installations completed by the company which highlighted significant failings and non-conformities against the standards1. The improvement plan was to address both the specific non-conformities and how the company would ensure future installations would not suffer from the systemic failings that led to them1. MCS stated that Hero Renewables did not provide an adequate response to its request, and that as a result the company is no longer MCS certified1.
"Following complaints relating to Hero Renewables, we investigated and identified issues with installations that did not comply with our standards. To safeguard consumer interests, we work to ensure that installations carried out by our certified contractors are delivered to a high quality and in line with the MCS standards."
The sequence of dates and actions reported by MCS is set out below.
| Date | Action |
|---|---|
| 16 December 2021 | Hero Renewables suspended from the MCS scheme1 |
| 31 January 2022 | Deadline for a comprehensive improvement plan1 |
| 10 February 2022 | MCS announces removal from the scheme1 |
MCS has not reported how many installations were investigated, how many complaints it received, or which specific standards were breached1. It has also not reported whether any remedial work has been carried out on the affected installations, or what recourse, if any, is available to the households involved1.
Why it matters for households
MCS certification is the route by which a domestic renewable installation, such as a heat pump or solar panels, can be registered and, where eligible, qualify for government support. A company that is no longer MCS certified cannot issue MCS certificates for work it carries out. For a household, that affects the paperwork attached to an installation, which in turn can affect access to schemes that depend on certification, and it removes the company from the installers and retailers framework that underpins consumer protection in this market.
The MCS statement describes failings found in installations already completed, not only in the company's processes. Households whose systems were installed by the company therefore face a question about the quality and compliance of work already in place, and about who is responsible for putting it right. MCS has not reported what happens to those installations now1.
What happens next
MCS directs anyone seeking further information or advice to its Helpdesk team on 0333 103 8130 or hello@mcscertified.com1. No further steps, deadlines or reviews have been reported1.
Sources1 cited
- MCS statement on Hero Renewables Limited - MCS, mcscertified.com