Director of Home Improvement Company Banned After Making Thousands of Cold Calls

The director of a home improvements company has received an eight-year ban from directorship after his firm made over 600,000 unsolicited calls to individuals registered on the Telephone Preference Service. Home2Sense Limited, based in Lampeter, made a staggering 675,478 calls between June 2020 and March 2021, often using false identities or failing to disclose their location to the recipients of the calls.

Failure to Comply with Regulations

In 2022, the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) imposed a £200,000 fine on Home2Sense for its persistent nuisance calls aimed at selling loft insulation. However, the fine went unpaid, leading the company to enter compulsory liquidation. An investigation by the Insolvency Service revealed that Carl Tingley, the 39-year-old sole director of the company, was responsible for the non-compliance with regulations designed to protect the public from such intrusive marketing practices.

Neil North, Chief Investigator at the Insolvency Service, stated, “Carl Tingley failed to ensure that Home2Sense complied with regulations to protect members of the public from nuisance calls. The extensive cold calling campaign led to a significant fine that went unpaid, ultimately resulting in the company’s downfall. Tingley’s actions caused considerable distress to the public and it is appropriate that he faces a ban from controlling any more companies for the next eight years.”

Impact of Nuisance Calls

Andy Curry, Head of Investigations at the ICO, expressed approval of the decision to disqualify Tingley, commenting, “Home2Sense Limited made hundreds of thousands of nuisance marketing calls to individuals who had specifically registered to avoid such disturbances, utilising a list of numbers acquired from an undisclosed source without regard for legality.” The ICO’s Financial Investigation Unit collaborates closely with the Insolvency Service to hold companies and their directors accountable, especially in cases where fines for illegal marketing practices remain unpaid. “By disrupting the activities of non-compliant directors like Carl Tingley, we can help prevent their re-emergence under different names, thereby protecting the public from further harm,” Curry added.

Company Background and Liquidation

Founded in 2019, Home2Sense Limited entered compulsory liquidation in 2022, carrying liabilities amounting to £200,000. Initially, the company claimed that the volume of inappropriate calls made was ‘relatively low’, attributing them to staff in training or those who had been dismissed. However, the Insolvency Service’s investigation revealed that Tingley had purchased the list of numbers from an individual known only as ‘Chris’ for the sum of £500.

During interviews with investigators, Tingley asserted that he was unaware that calling the blocked numbers was prohibited, expressing his belief that the list he acquired was legitimate. Nonetheless, when the case was presented at the High Court in London, the presiding judge deemed the management of the company to be lamentable, resulting in the imposed eight-year ban.

Details on the Ban and Corporate Governance

Tingley’s disqualification commenced on 15 September. Those in directorship positions can find further guidance on their responsibilities and obligations through the Insolvency Service’s Director Information Hub. The Insolvency Service also provides resources regarding financial misconduct and how to lodge complaints against it.