Brussels-Environment, the authority in charge of environmental and energy matters for the Brussels-Capital Region, issued a firm warning to Brussels inhabitants on Thursday, to be careful not to get caught out by people pretending to be consultants for the company. There are reports of at least 10 cases, according to Pascal De Mulder, project manager at Brussels-Environment. “We know that in the last 2 or 3 weeks, around 10 people from different towns in the area received phone calls from people impersonating consultants and offering an energy efficiency assessment of their homes by Brussels-Environment, free of charge”, states Pascal De Mulder to the Belga agency. “Maisons de l’energie”, energy efficiency associations affiliated with Brussels-Environment, do offer this type of service free of charge, but only on request by individuals. They do not cold call and never solicit people door-to-door; they only come by appointment, adds the group.
“Do not let anyone into your home unless you have specifically requested a visit yourself by contacting one of our 6 Maisons de l’energie”, recommends the Brussels-Environment website. “In case of improper door-to-door soliciting you should keep any evidence (business cards, names, phone numbers) and immediately report the facts to the local police and to Brussels-Environment’’.
According to Pascal De Mulder, at least 2 victims have officially pressed charges after a suspicious phone call. The energy authority is not planning to file a complaint as of yet.
The Maison de l’energie project helps Brussels inhabitants find consultants who come to people’s homes free of charge “to advise any individual or family, tenants or home-owners, wishing to save energy at home”.
(Source: Belga)
