Sarah and Ian Ward spent £14,000 on a heat pump for their Manchester home, only to face a serious leak four months later. The MCS-certified installer, RA Renewable Solutions Ltd, stopped responding and later went out of business, leaving the Wards without recourse despite following proper procedures.

An expert found the hot water cylinder was incompatible with the heat pump system, highlighting broader industry problems. Complaints about faulty installations rose 24-fold between 2021 and 2024, coinciding with the Boiler Upgrade Scheme launch. Industry figures blame a fragmented regulatory system that certifies installers without adequate quality assurance.

MCS now plans to vet all 5,000 UK heat pump installers by March 2027, shifting focus from paperwork to quality work. The Wards' insurer IWA rejected their claim despite Financial Ombudsman support, exemplifying how regulatory bodies pass consumers between each other without resolution. Their fight continues after investing £21,500 total.

These installation failures threaten Labour's green energy transition plans. As Mars Mlodzinski of Renewable Heating Hub warns, public confidence in decarbonisation strategy depends on reliable deployment, not just volume. Every botched system risks undermining market adoption and taxpayer investment in the sector.