The Property Care Association (PCA) has launched a new membership branch for contractors specialising in spray foam insulation removal, a move that matters to institute professionals as trade bodies step into a regulatory gap the government has confirmed it will not fund. More than 250,000 UK homes have spray foam insulation, which can trap moisture and cause damp, mould and timber decay when incorrectly installed. The new membership will bring competency requirements, independent auditing, compliance monitoring, training and representation to what is currently an unregulated removal market.

PCA is the UK trade association for property remediation professionals, covering damp proofing, structural waterproofing, insulation and timber preservation. As a trade association, it does not publish commercial financials.

The scheme responds to a documented consumer protection failure rather than a routine membership expansion.

A study of more than 500 properties found that 35 per cent of homes with spray foam insulation had one or more defect, based on joint PCA and Homeowners Alliance inspections, according to the House of Commons Library. In March 2025 the government confirmed there is no financial assistance available for homeowners to have spray foam insulation removed, leaving remediation entirely to the private market.

PCA deputy chief executive James Berry said, "We've had reports of homeowners being told they are on a 'national database' of properties that are likely to lose value if the insulation is not removed. In some cases, vulnerable customers, including pensioners, have been lulled into a false sense of security with so-called 'surveyors' presenting fake ID that includes the PCA logo." He added that the association is "actively collaborating with contractors, government" and lenders on the issue.

For the sector, PCA formalising a removal specific membership, rather than only assessment protocols, signals that trade bodies are extending their remit as government funding gaps persist. For the sector's mortgage lenders specifically, a recognised competency framework gives them a basis for accepting remediation work without requiring bespoke technical assessment on every case.

Whether formal membership crowds out the unregulated contractors currently exploiting the confusion will depend on how quickly lenders and consumers start treating PCA accreditation as the default reference point.

Source: Mortgage Solutions / House of Commons Library