A company used by the government to carry out home energy audits inappropriately used personal data to seek work.

The Manx Independent was contacted by a reader who said they were offered loft insulation by the firm.

Smart Energy Solutions Ltd, based on Main Road, Onchan, was contracted by the Department for Enterprise to carry out home energy audits as part of the Green Living Grant Scheme.

However, after it carried out this work, it then contacted residents in an attempt to sell them services and products for their homes, which the DfE said was in violation of their agreement.

The reader contacted the Manx Independent after they received an email from DfE saying the company did not have permission to contact residents for ‘direct marketing purposes’ and asking them to contact the department if they had been offered work.

The department also advised that they may also wish to make a complaint to the Information Commissioner and said it was taking ‘appropriate action to ensure that your personal data is not used in any way contrary to that for which it has been obtained’.

The scheme was set up to help islanders reduce their carbon emissions and energy bills.

This was done in two stages, with the home audit being carried out to identify what improvements householders could make, with the grant then assisting with 75% of works valued at less than £1,000 and 50% for recommended work over £1,000.

A DfE spokesperson told the Manx Independent it was unable to confirm how many people were affected due to ‘commercial sensitivities’. 

They added: ‘The Department for Enterprise received information regarding the activities of a domestic energy assessor, which is one of the contractors undertaking Manx Home Energy Audits as part of the Green Living Grant Scheme. The information received related to the inappropriate use of personal data by the domestic energy assessor. 

‘In response to this, the Department for Enterprise contacted all applicants of the Green Living Grant Scheme who had been allocated to this domestic energy assessor, requesting that they notify the department of any inappropriate activity, and make a direct complaint to the Information Commissioner should they wish to do so.

‘The department does not have sight of the complaints sent to the Information Commissioner’s Office.’

‘The Department for Enterprise takes the matter of data security very seriously and the contract in place with each energy assessor reflects this. We wish for any applicants who have been affected to be assured that the department is taking appropriate action to ensure personal data provided as part of the application process for the Green Living Grant Scheme is not used in any way contrary to that for which it has been obtained.’

When we contacted the Information Commissioner, it said that it was aware of the matter but had not had any complaints to date.