1. General

This document sets out our privacy policy and explains how we use and protect any information that you give us when using our website and/or after registering for our service. We may update these terms and conditions from time to time as we develop and improve our service. For the purposes of this document “Carbon Census” and the terms “We”, “Us”, “Our”, etc refers to The UK Carbon Census Ltd, a registered company in England & Wales No 6800963. “You”, “your”, etc refers to any person using or viewing the website and/or signing up for services offered on these website/s. “Website/s” refers to the company website and blog referenced above.

2. Information that we collect

Our service requires us to collect and store (i) your contact details, appointment preferences, eligibility for subsidies and other responses provided at the time registration; (ii) information about your property, appliances, expected energy usage and related data collected during your home survey; (iii) a copy of your EPC and the data contained in it, as sent out to you shortly after your home survey; (iv) other management information required to provide a service to you (such as a record of payments made, correspondence sent, and so on) and to develop new services.

Although we accept payments online we do not store your credit card details for future use. This may cause inconvenience for you if you need to pay us again in the future. However we do store contact details submitted to us by customers who begin the registration process, accept our terms but do not go on to complete a full registration and payment, e.g. because of abandonment or because we do not have assessors working in their area. This enables us to notify those customers in the future if/when circumstances change and we are able to provide a service to them.

3. Website cookies

A cookie is a small file which asks permission to be placed on your computer’s hard drive. If you agree, the file is added and the cookie helps analyse web traffic or lets you know when you visit a particular site. Cookies allow web applications to respond to you as an individual. The web application can tailor its operations to your needs by gathering and remembering information about your preferences.

We use traffic log cookies to identify which pages are being used. This helps us analyse data about web page traffic and improve our website in order to tailor it to customer needs. We only use this information for statistical analysis purposes and then the data is removed from the system.

Overall, cookies help us provide you with a better website, by enabling us to monitor which pages you find useful and which you do not. A cookie in no way gives us access to your computer or any information about you, other than the data you choose to share with us.

You can choose to accept or decline cookies. Most web browsers automatically accept cookies, but you can usually modify your browser setting to decline cookies if you prefer. This may prevent you from taking full advantage of the website.

4. What we do with the information we gather

Providing a service to you. We collect your data in order to provide you with advice on how to reduce your energy usage. In most circumstances this will require us to: (i) schedule and book your home energy survey; (ii) create, lodge and store on our systems a copy of your Energy Performance Certificate and associated electronic data, along with other related data collected during your home survey; (iii) prepare a home energy report including recommended actions and other information; (iv) provide you with follow up services, where you request these, or to inform you of other services that are relevant to you; (v) send you occasional updates on our progress with the Carbon Census.

Lodgement of EPCs. In accordance with UK regulation, if we prepare an EPC for your property we will lodge a copy on the national database for EPCs managed by the Secretary of State for Communities & Local Government. The Energy Saving Trust (a government funded body) has access to this database and may contact you with further free advice.

Research & Analysis. Your data is retained for anonymous statistical analysis, used to understand and encourage energy saving in general and to advertise and promote the Carbon Census project. We may publish aggregate data for individual areas and streets but we do not disclose data relating to individual properties without your permission to do so. We may from time to time collaborate with trusted partner organisations to complete analysis of the data we collect, and these organisations may therefore have access to some of our statistics.

Internal management. We will retain a record of our transactions and correspondence with you for the confidential internal management of our own business, and we may also use this information to develop the products and services we offer. We will periodically send you updates on our progress, and information about any products, services, special offers, changes in regulation or other information that we believe would be relevant to you.
External audit. A small number of customers may be contacted directly by The Energy Saving Trust and /or by other independent parties with whom we may contract to provide independent evaluation of our service. This is part of an audit and quality control process to ensure that we continue to achieve or exceed the high standards we have set for ourselves. If contacted for such feedback you may of course decline to participate.
5. Third parties

We do not share your information with other parties, except in the following defined circumstances: (i) where we use independent software, data processing and other service providers to support the delivery of our internal business processes and systems (for example payment processing, audit and accounting, data entry, address validation, hosting, appointment management, statistical analysis, data cleansing and other tasks); (ii) where you authorise us to do so in order to provide a service, for example to provide you with a quote for works to be carried out by a third party (e.g. insulation, microgeneration, renewable heating systems, etc); (iii) in anonymous and aggregated form, i.e. if we publish research or analysis of the statistics we have compiled through carrying out the carbon census project; (iv) where we may be required to disclose information to Ofgem (the energy industry regulator) or to individual energy companies or to their managing agents, as evidence of where and when certain subsidised energy saving services have been provided; (v) where required to disclose information by law.

6. Controlling your personal information

It is a condition of our service that you authorise us to create and store a complete record of the data generated during your home survey, and it is central to the nature of our project that we continue to hold this data on record as we grow the Carbon Census. In accepting our terms and conditions and this privacy policy, you agree to this condition.

This allows us to compile a cumulative database across a range of property types and areas, which we may analyse in future to extract new insight into energy saving and to exert a positive influence on public policy in this sector. Notwithstanding, if in the future you would prefer not to receive further correspondence from us you may notify us at any time by writing to us at the address below, at which point your personal involvement with the Carbon Census will end.

Data Protection Act 1998. If you wish you may request details of personal information which we hold about you. An administration fee will be chargeable to cover the costs of such a request. If you would like a copy of the information we have retained, or if you believe that any of our information relating to you is incorrect, please write to us at the address below explaining the nature of your request or query.
© The UK Carbon Census Ltd, 72 Grove Park, LONDON SE5 8LF Registered Company in England & Wales No 6800963

1.     General

This document, along with our Privacy Policy and Data Protection Statement, sets out the terms and conditions governing the use of the website (http://co2census.com), use of the company blog (http://carboncensusanswers.blogspot.com/) and delivery of our home survey and energy advice services. We may update these terms and conditions from time to time as we develop and improve our service.
For the purposes of this document “Carbon Census” and the terms “We”, “Us”, “Our”, etc refers to The UK Carbon Census Ltd, a registered company in England & Wales No 6800963. “You”, “your”, etc refers to any person using or viewing the website and/or signing up for services offered on these website/s. “Website/s” refers to the company website and blog referenced above.

2.     Use of the website/s

The content of the pages of these website/s is for your general information and use only, and is subject to change without notice. Neither we nor any third parties provide any warranty or guarantee as to the accuracy, timeliness, performance, completeness or suitability of the information and materials found or offered on these website/s for any particular purpose. You acknowledge that such information and materials may contain inaccuracies or errors and we expressly exclude liability for any such inaccuracies or errors to the fullest extent permitted by la
Your use of any information or materials on our website/s is entirely at your own risk, for which we shall not be liable. It shall be your own responsibility to ensure that any products, services or information available through our website/s meet your specific requirements.
This website contains material which is owned by or licensed to us. This material includes, but is not limited to, the design, layout, look, appearance and graphics. Reproduction is prohibited other than in accordance with the copyright notice, which forms part of these terms and conditions. All trademarks reproduced in this website, which are not the property of, or licensed to the operator, are acknowledged on the website. Unauthorised use of this website may give rise to a claim for damages and/or be a criminal offence. Your use of this website and any dispute arising out of such use of the website is subject to the laws of England, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales.
From time to time, the website/s may also include links to other websites. These links are provided for your convenience to provide further information. They do not signify that we endorse the website(s). We have no responsibility for the content of the linked website(s).

3.     Registering for the Carbon Census service

The registration feature of the website/s allows you to sign up for a home energy audit for a residential property. If you decide to use this feature, you agree that the information you provide will be complete and accurate and that we may use and store this information, in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Data Protection Statement.
In some cases it may not be possible to complete a registration for the address you enter, for instance when the address selected is not in an area we currently serve, if the user is not the owner of the property, or if the address to be registered is primarily occupied by a business or company. In these cases we will not collect payment, but will notify you in the future if / when we are able to offer a relevant service for the property in question.

4.     Booking your appointment

Once your registration is complete, you will receive a confirmation email. This will be followed in the post by a proposed date and time for your appointment, based on daily itineraries we prepare for assessors in your area, which will be sent to the assessment address provided, or to the correspondence address provided in the case of private landlords. You can normally expect to receive a proposed appointment within 2-6 weeks of completing your registration, and at least 2 weeks in advance of the proposed appointment.
You are required to attend in person at the time and date of the appointment. If you cannot attend on the time and date proposed, you may reschedule by calling our office number, leaving a voicemail message or sending us a message by post or email. Our contact details will be provided in your appointment letter. If we do not hear from you 7 days before your appointment is due, you agree that we may assume the proposed time and date is acceptable. There is no additional cost for rescheduling an appointment, any number of times, on condition that at least one week’s notice is provided and that you do eventually accept and complete an appointment within 6 months of your initial registration date (or forfeit your registration fee).
Your appointment will be for a specific time slot, and our assessors will seek to arrive punctually. However in some cases our daily itineraries can be disrupted by sickness, bad weather, traffic or other factors. If we arrive more than 1 hour late, or are unable to complete your appointment on the time and date promised we will schedule a replacement appointment for you at no extra cost. We will endeavour to notify you in advance if any such disruption occurs. You agree that no further penalty or compensation will be due to you for any reason if we arrive late or miss an appointment for any reason.

5.     Our home survey

The purpose of our home survey is to understand your current energy usage and to provide customised energy saving advice and recommendations for your household. To this end we carry out a visual inspection only of the physical characteristics of the property (including construction type and age; fuel type; heating system; glazing; insulation; controls; etc) and other characteristics related to energy demand (e.g. appliances; vehicles; water use; etc).
You understand that we do not offer a home condition report or any assessment of the condition of the property, such as would be necessary for example to identify building defects, deterioration or hazards. Similarly we will attempt to identify the type of boiler and heating system installed in order to estimate the normal environmental performance of this system; however, our assessors do not complete a safety inspection or assessment of the working condition of any installed appliances, equipment or vehicles.

Preparation of your complete home report will require some simple paperwork to be returned to us within 3 months of your survey. This paperwork includes simple feedback on the service you have received and details of the follow-up services you may wish to pursue. We will provide a prepaid / freepost return envelope. You agree to return this paperwork to us in order to receive your home report. If this paperwork is lost we can send a replacement, however a fee will be charged to cover the additional costs.

6.     Energy Performance Certificates (EPC)

If you do not already have a valid EPC, and if such a survey is appropriate for your property, we will complete one for you as part of the service you have paid for. This certificate is valid for 10 years and can be used in the housing market when selling or renting a property. It is not valid for any new properties (including subdivisions of old properties) built since 2007. For these properties, architect’s plans are required. We will therefore complete a visual survey but not provide an EPC.
An EPC is an official document and is lodged on a government database. However, your EPC may only be accessed by you or by agents acting on your behalf. The Energy Saving Trust (a not for profit, government funded body) can access the address and overall rating of properties with a completed EPC and may write to you with further advice for your property. In the future the government may authorise the Energy Saving Trust to access more information from these certificates.
If you already have a valid EPC, you agree to show a copy to your assessor on the date of your assessment. We will discuss the recommendations and provide further information in areas not covered by the EPC. For an additional fee and if requested in advance, it may be possible to complete a new EPC for you.
In producing an EPC, we will follow the guidelines and procedures set by HM Government and by BRE, the independent certification body which accredits and audits our assessors. This includes recording photo evidence of the key features of the survey (e.g. boiler, hot tank, etc). If requested your assessor will show you all photos taken during the visit for your approval. The photos will not be used for any other purpose than to meet the requirements of the audit, unless you authorise us to do so (for example, in order to prepare a quote for works).

7.     Free gift

On occasion we may be able to offer a free gift to customers registering for our service. This free gift will only be available if advertised on the main Carbon Census website (http://co2census.com) at the time of registration. The gift will be shipped to you on receipt of your paperwork after the survey, and may be shipped with other items that you may order from us. The gift may not be sent out if your paperwork is not returned to us within 6 weeks of your survey, and may be replaced at our discretion with a similar gift of equivalent value. In the case of a free gift offer, it is your responsibility to determine if the gift is suitable for your household and if you are able to install and /or use the item without further professional advice. You therefore accept full responsibility for the safe installation and use of these products.
In the event that an item shipped to you as a free gift is determined to be faulty on delivery, it will be replaced with a similar or equivalent item. However, the free gift is not refundable and cannot be replaced for any other reason. No more than one free gift will be shipped per household / individual address.
We are required to report the addresses to which free gifts are sent to the sponsoring body (usually a regulated energy company or managing agent). This is to prevent single households receiving the same energy saving subsidy multiple times through different schemes. You agree that we may provide your information in this way.

8.     Payment & Cancellation

Payment for your home survey is taken in advance. Our assessors do not handle cash or cheques. If you decide you do not wish to go ahead, your payment is refundable provided that you give at least one week’s notice before your proposed appointment time. In the case of such a request a £10 admin fee will be applied to cover the costs of your registration and initial processing of your request.
No refund will be payable if you fail to attend the appointment or to notify us at least one week in advance that you cannot attend the appointment we have proposed. However, we understand that appointments can sometimes be missed in good faith and if you contact us promptly to explain this we will rebook your appointment once at no cost. Subsequent missed appointments will incur a re-booking fee. If you have made a misrepresentation, for instance if you register a property for which you are not the owner, or if we are unable to complete a survey because the property is deemed unsafe for a visual inspection, no refund will be paid.

9.     Follow on services

In some cases we may be able to offer follow up services to help you carry out the recommendations we have provided. If appropriate we will discuss these options with you during your home visit, and if a payment is required for these services we will explain how this can be completed. You will therefore be able to decide on any follow up services after we have left the premises. Our assessors will not request or accept cash or cheques in person.
Our assessors do not receive commission. However in some cases our company may collect a deposit or complete payment for you (on behalf of a subcontractor) and our company may receive a subsidy or commission from the subcontractor providing you with a service. This reflects the costs we incur completing your home survey and helps us to keep the cost of our service low. Nevertheless, your engagement for any such follow-on services is not covered by this agreement and you will be provided with an additional documentation as required in each case.
In some cases you may also order energy saving products from us. If for any reason these cannot be delivered (e.g. you choose a signed for service, but you are not available for signature) they will be returned to our warehouse, and you will be liable for additional Post and Packing if we need to ship the products a second time.

10.  Quality

We aim to provide a high quality service and customer experience. Our assessors will comply with the Code of Conduct for energy assessors provided by their accreditation scheme and the guidance provided by The Energy Saving Trust for giving energy saving advice. If you have questions about the advice you have received we will endeavour to answer these by phone, email or post and to resolve any queries you may raise as quickly and as effectively as possible.

11.  Endorsements & Affiliations

The advice we provide is endorsed by The Energy Saving Trust, who provide training and assessment for all our in-home advisors. Our home assessors are also qualified Domestic Energy Assessors and are accredited and audited by BRE, an independent certification body which is part of the not-for-profit BRE Trust. In most cases our assessors will also have been trained by BRE and all will have passed a criminal record background check as part of their individual membership of the accreditation scheme for Domestic Energy Assessors. We may sometimes use assessors from other accreditation schemes.
In addition, our company is a member of The UK Green Buildings Council, an organisation campaigning for improvements in the Built Environment, and is registered as a Social Enterprise under a scheme established by HM Government Cabinet Office. You can read more about the requirements of this scheme at www.socialenterprisemark.org.uk.

12.  Data protection

We undertake to protect and safeguard your data appropriately, and in accordance with our comprehensive Privacy Policy and Data Protection Statement. It is a condition of our service that you authorise us to create and store an electronic record of the data generated on your behalf, and in accepting these terms you agree to this condition.
© The UK Carbon Census Ltd, 72 Grove Park, LONDON SE5 8LF Registered Company in England & Wales No 6800963

Privacy Policy

Terms of trade

Our policies ensure we have your permission to collect, store and analyse your carbon footprint data, including an electronic copy of your EPC.




They also confirm we do not share your data with anyone else except where appropriate to do so – for example if you ask us to provide a service to you through a contractor, if we are required to do so for regulatory reporting, or where your data is used for research or (anonymous) statistical analysis.