A controversial report into consumer protection in the conservatory market has resulted in a flurry of new initiatives. The report, heavily critical of the protection offered to consumers buying conservatories, double glazing and doors, drew attention to the failings of many of the schemes which supposedly protect the homeowner and stirred up a storm in the industry.

Nick Ross, TV’s consumer champion, welcomed the report. “People spend a fortune on home improvements and sadly the protection offered by installers is often second rate – so this guide is good news for consumers. Although the vast majority of installations are satisfactory, people deserve to know which schemes will actually protect them when things go wrong. Even good installers can make mistakes or go out of business, bad staff can bodge things, rogue traders can disappear with the customer’s deposit and the consumer can be left struggling to recover their money or to get the work done properly. There’s often nobody to turn to, especially now that trading standards officers are desperately overstretched. This guide through the pitfalls is overdue.”

In Great Britain homeowners spend more than £3 billion a year on conservatories and double glazing, so comprehensive protection is essential. Even the most reputable companies can run into trouble – Amdega had been in business for 137 years when it went bust in May, leaving customers who had paid deposits of thousands of pounds, or who had half completed conservatories, to try to recover their money or get the work completed.

There were 20,000 complaints to the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) about this type of thing over the last year, so there is obviously a need for better protection.

The Double Glazing and Conservatory Ombudsman Scheme (DGCOS) sponsored the Consumer Protection Report. Set up in 2010 to raise the level of protection for consumers and to improve the reputation of the industry, it has been delighted with the initial impact of the report. Customers have already benefitted as organisations have reacted; significant change has already taken place as different schemes start to reveal or improve their protection.

DGCOS sponsored the Consumer Protection Report, which was been researched and compiled by David Herman, a chartered accountant with thirty-five years experience in the construction industry. It was commissioned to throw light into dark corners, to untangle the confusing and complex state of consumer protection and compare the many organisations involved.

Three organisations have emerged as providing good protection, with DGCOS as the front runner followed by Network VEKA and the Bygone Installers Network. In what can only be described as flattering imitation the Glass and Glazing Federation has just announced its own “no-frills” ombudsman scheme. Other organisations have made improvements to their websites, making their information more easily accessible. All this is to the advantage of consumers, which was the original objective of the report.

These improvements are good news but there is still a long way to go. Transparency is a major issue. One or two organisations complained the report was unfair – they did provide some of the protection listed in the report, they just didn’t mention it in any of the information available to the customer. But why should the consumer have to search the small print and beyond, just to find out what protection they have? Are there still organisations which prefer to keep consumers in the dark? Such newly available information, where it can be verified, has been included in the second edition of the report which is published on 1^st August.

Details of those organisations which complained that the first report misrepresented them, but provided no evidence to back their claims, remain unchanged.

The report lists 10 questions for consumers to ask before they buy*. The market is still huge – people are improving their existing homes instead of moving, so whether they are buying now or waiting for the Government’s Green Deal to come into effect next year, the consumer needs to be better protected and more aware of the safety net available should things go wrong.