Local ‘rogue trader’ put behind bars

Detectives have safeguarded vulnerable victims during an investigation into two local fraudulent insulation companies. The director has now been put behind bars. 

The investigation was focused on NRG Installs Ltd and The Insulate Group’s trading between January 2017 and September 2018. The turnover for both these companies exceeded £8 million.

These companies sold spray foam loft insulation, as well a roof and wall coatings. They mainly operated outside of Dorset, in areas such as Buckinghamshire, Surrey, and Hertfordshire. The company was found to be using unfair commercial practices, which are prohibited under consumer protection regulations. 

These banned practices were used deliberately and approved by Beckett. This included use of aggressive sales tactics, as well as pressuring and misleading customers about the product. Additionally, the customers were led to believe that they were getting a special price by having an immediate fitting, and then signed their right to a 14-day cooling-off-period away. 

The investigation found there were 28 victims of both NRG and The Insulate Group. Some of the victims had been targeted twice by Beckett’s companies for different products.

Family members of the victims stated that their loved ones had been sold products by the companies, despite their vulnerabilities being evident to the salesperson.

The companies call centres operated from a building in Hinton Road in Bournemouth. Scripts were found, which were used by call centre staff, that contained unsubstantiated and misleading statements. For example, that insulation by NRG Installs Ltd could reduce a customer’s heating bill by 40 per cent. They also falsely stated that the price could be reduced via discount codes that they were told they were entitled to on the basis of their age.

Documents were recovered detailing numerous customer complaints, many of which were relating to breaches of the companies’ vulnerable customer policy. These complaints clearly showed hat no no set pricing structure was being followed. People had been charged widely varying prices for the same product with the prices ranging from £54.17 to £171 per square metre.

The BBC also carried out an investigation into Beckett’s companies for their programme Rip Off Britain and they contacted him in June 2018 to notify him of this. He was captured discussing changing the company’s corporate identity or feigning a mental illness to stop the programme being aired.

They concluded that Beckett played a lead role in a well organised and sophisticated fraud and that it was a clear case of targeting victims based on age, presumed savings and vulnerability.

Beckett was sentenced at Bournemouth Crown Court on Wednesday 18 June 2025 to six years and six months in prison.

Detective Inspector Jamie Halford, of Dorset Police, said: “Our investigation found that Beckett was operating two corrupt and fraudulent businesses. He encouraged his sales staff to persistently and systematically lie in order to deceive, mislead and bully customers who were known to be vulnerable in order to make as much money as possible.

“The work of Beckett’s companies had a lasting effect on some victims, who encountered difficulties when trying to sell their properties due to the spray foam that was installed when it was not required.

“I would like to use this opportunity to highlight how important it is to check on vulnerable friends and family members who may be targeted by fraudulent companies. Always encourage them to speak to you before agreeing to any work being carried out and to get a second opinion – never be pressured to agreeing to work on the same day and be wary of a large initial reduction in price in these circumstances.

“It is also extremely important to get expert advice when having work done to your property, including getting spray foam insulation. It must be used in the right circumstances and environment and a specialist will be able to provide you with the right help and information.”

 

Credit to:

https://www.bhliving.co.uk/2025/06/23/victims-fraud-investigation/